


Nico and the creepypastas oneshots

by pastistoday



Series: Nico and the Creepapastas [2]
Category: Creepypasta - Fandom, Marble Hornets, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: M/M, Playing Games, Romance, Tea Party, generally fluffy, look at these nerd babies, mentions of abuse, one shots
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-19
Updated: 2016-05-01
Packaged: 2018-03-24 20:45:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 27
Words: 38,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3783772
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pastistoday/pseuds/pastistoday
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>a series of one shots from the future of Nico and the creepypastas. Mostly focussing on Nico and Toby's relationships but that might be expanded depending on whether I get any prompts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Bored!

“Nico I’m bored.” Toby whined, kneeling down to the couch where Nico was laying and jostled his shoulder trying to get Nico’s attention.

“And I’m reading.” Nico huffed without looking up from the big leather bound book that was resting on his stomach. Slenderman had lent it to him, Nico had no idea where he had got but it was amazing. It was written in ancient Greek which made it so much easier for him to read and Nico did not want to put it down. 

“Well stop reading and pay attention to me!” Toby said leaning his head against Nico’s arm and half blocking the book, forcing Nico to look into Toby’s pleading brown eyes. 

“Is there no one else you can go bother?” Nico grumbled half closing the book and marking his place with his finger. “I want to finish this so I can give it back to Slenderman.” 

“No! Masky and Hoody are out, so is Slenderman. Jeff’s visiting his brother for the week, BEN won’t come out, Sally and L.J. got in a fight so now they’re both sulking and E.J. won’t talk to me!” Toby said ticking them off on his fingers and then throwing his hands in the air exasperatedly. “Slenderman won’t mind if you keep the book a bit longer, time doesn’t bother him very much as long as it’s not damaged.” Toby turned nuzzling Nico’s shoulder and leaning in to kiss his neck gently.

Nico sighed and leaned his head to the side, ignoring Toby and opening the book again. Finding the place he had left off he continued reading, it was a book on forms of old magic. Some of them even had to do with Necromancy, Slenderman had thought they might help Nico expand his powers. Nico doubted that, these were the sort of things better suited to children of Hecate but they were still interesting. Nico was sure he would end up trying them, just somewhere where no one could see him so he wouldn’t have to own up to it if they failed. The book didn’t seem to have any known author so Nico couldn’t be sure of anything really besides that these were fascinating, complex and old. Even if they didn’t work and were only what people had once thought would work they were still amazing.

Nico jumped and yelped when he felt Toby’s teeth on his throat, nipping to try and get Nico’s attention.

“What the heck Toby?” Nico said, Toby tilted his head in confusion. “Oh that came out in Greek didn’t it?” Nico said switching back to English half way through his sentence. “What the heck Toby.”

“If you’re going to read at least read aloud so I can hear too.” Toby mumbled into Nico’s neck.

“But it’s in ancient Greek.” Nico pointed out raising an eyebrow. “You won’t be able to understand it.”

“I don’t care.” Toby mumbled softly, “I like the sound of your voice, It makes the voices… not so loud.” Nico softened immediately lifting one hand to rest in Toby’s hair, combing through the bouncy brown threads.

“Is that what this is about?” Nico asked softly, “They’re being too loud?” Toby nodded.

“I can’t hear myself think and they’re not being nice.” Toby whimpered nuzzling into Nico’s neck so the tickle of Toby’s breath made Nico shiver. 

“Alright.” Nico agreed easily now. Continuously running his fingers through Toby’s hair as he turned his attention back to the book and started reading again. Out loud this time. The ancient language slipped easily off of his tongue as he became engrossed in the book again. Toby leaned away from Nico to twitch and then nuzzled up to him again staying quiet as he listened. Nico read until his voice started to feel a bit horse then bookmarked his page and put it down again.

“What is he book about?” Toby asked after a second.

“Old spells, I don’t know if any of them work or anything. Slenderman though I should have a look at it because some of them are about necromancy.”

“Are you going to try some of them?”

“Maybe but magic isn’t really something I’m good at. My sister’s really good at Magic though, maybe I should copy down some of these for her. She usually just shapes the mist without spells but maybe spells help? I don’t know”

“Sounds cool!” Toby said enthusiastically making Nico laugh.

“It is she’s really something, a daughter of the Roman god Pluto and blessed by the goddess of magic Hecate? Now that’s a powerful combination.” Toby whistled softly, after the Gaian war he had learned more about the roman and Greek gods.

“So why don’t you ever bring her around here to meet us?” Toby asked. Nico grimaced.

“She’s a very gentle spirit, she wouldn’t do well here, better for her to stay with the other demigods. Since she has power over the earth rather than the dead she’s more easily accepted with them.”

“Makes sense. If you’re done reading can we do something now?” Nico chuckled at the hopeful stare Toby was giving him. He looked like a Mrs. O’Leary did when she was waiting for Nico to throw a stick.

“Okay yes we can do something.” Nico laughed when Toby jumped to his feet and pulled Nico to his feet as well. “What do you want to do?” 

“The fair is in town, let’s go go on some rides!” Toby suggested enthusiastically. Oh gods Nico hated roller-coaster, but Toby looked so existed…

“Okay.” Nico said smiling slightly at his enthusiastic boyfriend bounced around getting his bag and talking about how much he loved the fair and cotton candy. 

Nico couldn’t help but chuckle, he had a feeling that by the end of this day Toby would have had so much sugar he wouldn’t sleep for days.


	2. Not Good Enough

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hazel, Percy and Jason have noticed bruises on Nico's wrists and they jump to a conclusion that causes some drama.

Toby wondered awkwardly through the Greek camp, he was the only one here that wasn’t either half god or half animal, god this was weird. To make things worse Nico had been nabbed by Lou Ellen to help with some sort of necromancy spell she was trying. She needed Nico just incase the dead she summoned got out of her control so Nico could get them fast. Now Toby was on his own unsure of what to do and just a little bit lost.

Toby perked up when he saw some people he recognized as friends of Nico’s. His half sister Hazel and the two boys, what were their names… Percy and Jason they were coming towards him. Toby bounced forward until he saw the looks on their faces. Oh no, recognized that look, that look meant he had done something wrong, what had he done? Toby stopped and lowered his center of gravity slightly, it made him look smaller and made him ready to dodge if any of them attacked him.

“Hey.” Toby said smiling uncertainly. “I’m a bit lost could you point me back to the Hades Cabin? Nico’s busy and I was just going to wait for him there.” Percy and Hazel exchanged a look but Jason smiled at him and answered.

“Actually we were hoping to talk to you while Nico’s busy if you don’t mind.” Jason was being polite but the set of Hazels jaw made it clear that they would talk now even if Toby did mind. 

“Sure what is it?” Toby asked wearily. If he had already done something to piss of the three most powerful demigods besides his boyfriend then he really didn’t need to do anything else to make them mad.

“Well it’s just that we noticed,” Jason started but Hazel cut him off.

“Have you been abusing my brother?” She asked bluntly and Toby blanched.

“What?!” Toby asked, he was confused and hurt and he didn’t understand.

“We saw bruises on his wrists, they look like hand prints.” Percy said crossing his arms and scowling. Toby’s mind was still rushing to understand what he was being accused of. 

“If you hurt him I hope you realize how dead you are.” Hazel growled her eyes practically glowing gold and Toby’s mind finally caught up with the conversation. 

“No! I would never!” Toby yelled angrily. Though it wasn’t hard to see through his anger to his hurt. 

“I’ll admit it none of us “creepy”” He put air quotes around the word. “Are very good at healthy relationships. Clockwork and bloody painter don’t know how to communicate, Laughing Jack thinks that torture is a game, Masky can’t seem to wrap his head around the fact that people can’t be owned and I don’t understand pain or how to be gentle because that stuff never effects me. With stuff like this we CAN’T have relationships that normal people would consider healthy." 

“We just figure out how to work around this stuff. Clockwork and Bloody Painter got together because they don’t expect communication from each other. Jack got with Jill because she’s too strong to let him torture her and he still thinks it’s a game when it’s being done to him. And Masky got with Hoody because the idea of being owned by Masky is actually comforting to Hoody because he trusts Masky to look after him."

“At least me and Nico aren’t at the same stalemate as the others where they just accept the faults! At least we’re working on it! That’s what the bruises were, Nico telling me at what point a thing becomes painful! Eventually I’ll be able to memories that amount of pressure and not go passed it but in the mean time there will be sip ups! I will make mistakes and even though I don’t understand pain I understand it’s not something you want to inflict on the people you love so I already feel bad enough for my mistakes you don’t need to remind me of that!"

“But the point is Nico forgives me for my mistakes and lets me try again so I will learn! I will learn because I want our relationship to be as healthy as it can possibly be! I want to be as perfect for Nico as I can be because I’ve see how much pain Nico’s gone through, still goes through and I don’t want to cause Nico an ounce more pain then he already has! If I thought he would be better off if I left him, or if I never touched him again for the fear of being to rough I would leave or stop in an instant but that would not be better! If I did he would just blame himself and it would make everything worse."

“So don’t you dare tell me I’m not good for Nico or that he’s wrong to love me because I already think that enough! I know I’m bad for him, I know I’m not good enough for him and I’ve told him that. I can only thank whatever gods are in charge of this shit that he doesn’t believe me yet because I don’t know what I would do without him.” Toby trailed off into an awkward silence. His fists were clenched, his palms bleeding from how hard his nails had pressed into the skin and he was trembling violently. After a moment of silence determining that no one was going to say anything Toby turned and ran away. 

\-------------

“Toby are you here?” Nico called as he walked through the woods, he had looked for Toby almost everywhere else, he had to be in here. But if he was why wasn’t he answered Nico’s call? Finally Nico thought to look up, sometimes Toby hid in trees and there he was, tucked in a branch fork and hugging the trunk. “Toby what are you doing up there? Why didn’t you answer me?” 

Toby didn’t answer shaking his head and twitching with a gasp. Confused Nico jumped and grabbed onto a branch pulling himself up so he could climb onto the branch and then up to on across from Toby. Once he got closer he saw Toby’s shoulders shaking in a way that had nothing to do with his tics.

“Toby what’s wrong?” Nico said drawing as close to Toby as he could. Toby looked up at him with wet eyes, the tears already shed glistening on his cheeks. Gently Toby reached out and took one of Nico’s hands, bringing it to his lips he gently kissed the bruising on Nico’s wrists. “Oh Toby, I told you it didn’t matter, I’m fine, they’re not even sore anymore.” Nico murmured softly reaching around the trunk with his free hand to run his fingers through Toby’s hair. 

“Your friends noticed them. They accused me of being abusive.” Toby said sniffling and chocking back another sob. “They’re not right are they?” He looked so helpless and lost, Nico couldn’t understand why he was so worried.

“Of course not Toby, they mean well but they don’t understand.” Nico was quite annoyed with his friends at that moment. Did they trust him so little that they thought he would stay with anyone who abused him…. But then maybe he would, he had spent so long feeling like no one cared about him. Was there a limit to what he would go through for anyone who said they did? Maybe not, but that meant nothing because he had Toby and Toby was definitely not.

“But what if some day I am?” Toby asked softly. “They say kids grow up to be like their parents and my father.”

“You know better than that Toby.” Nico interrupted him quickly. “You won’t make the same mistakes as your father, I know it.”

“I’m glad one of us does.” Toby half laughed wiping his tears away with his sleeve though they weren’t quite done yet. “Thank you for staying with me Nico. You’re too good for me, I have no idea what I did to deserve you.” Nico laughed softly and leaned around the tree to kiss Toby gently.

“Maybe all you needed to do was be the first one to actually care about me.” Nico said softly after the kiss was broken by one of Toby’s tics, Nico could see Toby blushing slightly. “I love you.” Nico gave a crooked smile “And you’re an idiot for thinking that you’re abusive.” Toby gave a laugh that was half a sob but stopped crying.

“I love you to Nico.” Toby said brushing away the final tears and smiling shakily.

“Are you ready to come down now?” Nico asked. Toby nodded and they climbed back down to the forest floor. Nico was about to lead the way back to camp, where they had been visiting but Toby grabbed his hand and pulled him back. He hugged Nico tightly and Nico returned the hug quickly.

“I said ready to come down not ready to go back.” Toby mumbled into Nico’s hair. “I can’t face them yet, especially when it’s obvious I’ve been crying.”

“Alright, we don’t have to go anywhere, Toby.” Nico reassured. “By the way who was it who upset you? I need to know so I can yell at them.”

“Oh god no.” Toby said half laughing. “You’re terrifying when you’re mad.” 

“Good.” Nico replied immediately. “I mean to be.” Toby laughed fully this time and Nico smiled, they would be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have heard the requests I have been given and I will start working on them today so with luck they'll be coming ay y'all soon.


	3. Left behind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Requested by Archive user Jcicid: the fight between Sally and Laughing Jack!
> 
> request seconded by my beloved editor who always gets what he wants.

“I don’t wanna go out! I wanna have a tea party.” Sally pouted grumpily up at L.J. who was grimacing down at her, no hint at all of his usual smile.

“Oh come on Sal!” L.J. growled down at her as she crossed her arms over her chest. “We’re going to play with Connor. I thought you liked Connor.” He wheedled carefully slinking around Sally. She didn’t bother following him with her eyes, she was already dead he couldn’t hurt her. Sometimes that was the best thing about her but right now it was the worst because it meant she was no good for the kind of game he wanted to play.

“No I don’t, he’s loud and rude! I liked Taylor. Why couldn’t we have played with her a bit longer?”

“It’s not my fault she died so quickly.” L.J. snapped. Sally gave a small squeak of protest, usually they said that the kids fell asleep. If they said died Sally would wonder why they hadn’t come out of their bodies and stayed like she had, and she would get sad and lonely.

“Come on you’ll have fun once we get there, you always do and I don’t like playing alone, I know you don’t either.”

“But why can’t it wait till tomorrow?” Sally asked her lower lip quivering a little bit. “Jane got me a new dress and I wanna wear it to a tea party.”

“Why can’t you wear it to the games?”

“Because then it’ll get blood on it and I don’t want to ruin it before Jane comes to visit so I can show her me wearing it!” Sally’s eyes were wet with tears now and L.J. felt bad. He hated feeling bad, he was Laughing Jack for god sakes! He was supposed to be happy and laughing all the time, he wasn’t supposed to be able to feel sad, so how the fuck did Sally manage to do this to him? He threw his black hands up into the air his striped sleeves falling down slightly. 

“You know what you find someone else to have a tea party with! I’m going to go play with Connor without you.”

“What?” Sally said, her green eyes wide and tears spilling out of her eyes mixing with the dried blood on her face making it run pink down her face.

“You heard me.” L.J. mumbled looking away guiltily as Sally clutched her bear to her chest. You would hard pressed to find a creepypasta that didn’t have abandonment issues. Hell knew L.J. did, so he knew how much what he had just said had hurt Sally. Still he hated the way she made him feel more so, he turned and stormed out. She didn’t follow him.

By the time L.J. was out of the house how bad he felt was no longer something he could avoid with anger. Once he was completely out of sight of the house he sat down with his back against a tree. He had been left alone, he had left Sally alone. No she wasn’t alone, Nico was still in the house, so was Toby, she liked them so she wasn’t alone but Hoody wasn’t there. And he was the only one who really knew what to do with her when she was sad, so really he had left her alone, devoid of a person she could connect with. 

“God damn I’m a Clown I’m not supposed to be sad!” But he had been made to connect with a child even though that child had taught him the best games, he had not taught L.J. how not to feel. For the most part being alone had taught him that but now that he wasn’t alone anymore he wondered if he might be unlearning a little.

He grimaced and stood up starting in the direction of Connor's house. He would go play, that would cheer him up. But Sally and L.J. had always gone to play with Connor together through the process of getting to know him, L.J. couldn’t finish it on his own. He turned around pacing back the way he had come. That didn’t mean that he couldn’t play with someone else, but who? One of the parents of the kids he had finished playing with already? Ya that was a good idea, Sally never came on those anyway, he would make up to her when he got back.

Except when he did get back, Sally wouldn’t let him make up with her. When he came into her room she turned her back to him and wouldn’t look at him. She acted like she couldn’t see him, when had she gotten so good at looking through him? Her gaze felt like a knife penetrating through to the other side. When he tried to touch her she made herself insubstantial so his hand went right through her. He didn’t know what to do to make it up to her.

“Come on Sal we can have a tea party now if you like. I didn’t even go play with Connor, I played with some of the parents so we can still play with Connor together! But only when you want to I promise. Come on we can even bake cookies for the tea party.” L.J. thought he saw her hesitate at that but it was barely perceptible and then she was right back to pretending not to see him.

“Fine be that way.” He snapped finally and stormed out again but it wasn’t fine. She was giving him a taste of his own medicine and now they had both been left alone. Quietly he retreated to his music box, curling up in one corner just as he had when Isaac had forgotten him. He ignored Toby when he tried to get L.J.’s attention, no he wasn’t coming out until Sally forgave him. He hadn’t realized how much he liked having a kid around that he couldn’t kill. The kids he could kill he never managed to keep around for more than a month. That wasn’t really long enough to be friends with, but he didn’t have the option to kill Sally. It wasn’t possible. So the only option to play with her was to become friends, he didn’t know when he had started to rely on that so much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can follow my editor on tumblr at http://salukinut.tumblr.com/
> 
> or me at http://to-much-tea-stuff.tumblr.com/


	4. VIDEOGAMES

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Requested by: Akane on archive and Fantaku alliance of fanfiction
> 
> Nico and BEN paying videogames together.

“BEN, if you don’t want me to break your tv, let me stop playing now.” Nico said glaring at the tv screen and clutching the black controller so tightly his knuckles were white. BEN had found out Nico had never played video games and had tried to get him to play a game called Assassins Creed. He had thought Nico would like it, but Nico could not for the life of him figure out the controls. He kept running the character into walls by accident. Within twenty minutes Nico had gotten to the point of yelling at the character and now he had circled back to calm and 100% done.

“Okay then.” BEN said sliding out of the tv faster than Nico had ever seen him, taking the controller from Nico. Nico let him take it, still scowling at the computer program, had he done this on purpose to annoy Nico? It didn’t seem to be beyond the realm of possibility. Nico felt about ready to rip BEN apart. “Maybe Assassins Creed was not the best game to start with. We’ll do something else.”

“I swear to the gods BEN if you make me play another game like this one I will break you.” Nico said staring at BEN with a blank dark glare. BEN glared back, black eyes met red for a long moment neither being willing to look away. It was BEN who looked away first and started sorting through a stack of other games.

“You can’t break me.” He mumbled petulantly.

“Anything can be broken.” Nico sighed leaning back against the couch running his hands back through his hair, his hands were sore from holding the controller so tightly.

“Ya and apparently all it takes to break you is a video game.” BEN joked and Nico chuckled breathily. “You might like the Wii better.” Ben commented picking up the white tube controller. Nico stared at it dubiously. 

“How is it different?” Nico asked suspiciously.

“It’s connected to the game station so that you can just move your remote, this thing, and your character in the game makes the same motions. Most of the games with it are sports type games but I think I have a Legend of Zelda game that treats the Wii remote like a sword. Since you’re trained with a sword already it shouldn’t be hard at all for you.” BEN held out the controller and Nico took it, still looking rather unconvinced as BEN started to look for the right game.

“Are you sure the game will be able to tell how I move?” Nico said staring at the thing.

“Oh ya.” BEN replied easily. “Some games don’t even need you to hold the remote, there’s this thing called motion capture that senses how your moving even without having to hold the remote. The only thing I have for that though is a dance game that Toby, Sally and L.J. really like.” Nico was staring at BEN incredulously now and BEN was suddenly reminded that Nico was from the past. Sitting back on his heels he gave Nico his full attention. “Does that make sense?”

“I feel like you must be lying to me.” Nico admitted, his eyes still narrowed. “I mean I got pretty good at arcade games like pinball and packman and THAT felt like living in the future. I was impressed by the graphics in that Assassins Creed game. You’re telling me that theres the technology now to translate my real actions INTO the game? That sounds too close to virtual reality to actually exist.” BEN grinned. Oh he couldn’t wait to tell Nico about the even newer things like the Oculus Rift, but right now he was pretty sure Nico wouldn’t believe him.

“Well why don’t you try it and see then?” BEN Said finally finding the game he had been looking for called Skyward Sword and setting it up. “You might want to stand up. You hold this one in your sword hand, that’s the one that will translate into the fighting motions. This one you hold in your other hand you use the little joystick to move around. Okay?”

“Okay.” Nico said taking the controllers and weighing the one that he was meant to treat like a sword raising one eyebrow. “Well that’s going to take some getting used to, it’s so light.” Nico said. BEN chuckled and helped Nico start the game.

“The game will teach you the other ways you can interact with the world so I think I’ll just stay out here to watch you.” BEN said sitting down on the couch next to Nico who shifted away just a little. BEN never understood personal boundaries.

“Watch me to make sure I don’t try to break your technology again.” Nico teased standing up so he could begin the game. He waited through the introduction reading the text about some human legend. “So I’m guessing this is a made up human legend not just something I missed out on by spending too much time with gods?” 

“Yep a made up one.” BEN said laughing as the game actually began and Nico started trying to get used to the controls.

“This is much easier than the other thing.”

“The ps3 controller?” BEN asked staring at Nico as he finally navigated the character out the door of the house.

“Yes, that idiot thing.” Nico grumbled already to focused on the game his eyes locked on the screen. This one Nico caught onto fairly quickly and seemed to enjoy but it was when he reached the first battle scene that Nico’s face really lit up. “You weren’t kidding this thing is amazing! Wow I mean I think I read some books with technology like this in them when I was a kid, but those were always like the futuristic things that no one really thought would exist! Now all that’s left is those goggles and mit things.”

“Oh those exist too.” BEN said as casually as he could manage, though there was a strained tone to his voice that made it clear that Nico’s excitement was rubbing off on him. Nico turned on BEN immediately nearly dropping the remotes in shock and excitement.

“What!?” He demanded his eyes wide and light with childish excitement.

“Yep it's called Oculus Rift. They're still pretty new so there’s not very many games for them but.”

“Oh my Gods do you have one?” Nico asked practically bouncing with excitement. “Can I try it? That sounds amazing!” 

“No I don’t have one but I’ve been totally meaning to get one. We should get one.” BEN said doing his best not to jump to his feet. It was so nice to have someone as enthusiastic about these new technologies as he was.

“Definitely!” Nico said nodding enthusiastically. “Where can we get one? What sort of things can you do on it?”

“It’s new enough that it can only be ordered online.” BEN said excitedly taking the Wii controller from Nico and pausing the game. “Come on if we get fast shipping it’ll be here within the week! Since I can basically make money by messing with data online I might even order two so I can mess with one of them and find out how it’s made.” BEN dragged Nico out of the room and to the nearest computer, which Nico sat down at and BEN disappeared inside. 

“That sounds like something I’d be interested in knowing to do you think you could explain it to me?” Nico asked watching the lines of code scrolling across the screen, maybe this stuff was worth learning about after all.

I CAN TRY IT WON’T BE EASY THOUGH. YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF CATCHING UP TO DO DUDE. BEN wrote back as he settled on an amount to make available to himself and searched for the place to order the Oculus.

“No doubt.” Nico said laughing as he leaned on his hands. “But it seems like it’s worth working. You should let me teach you some of the card and role playing games I used to play too.”

I LIKE GAMES. BEN agreed, only half paying attention to what he was agreeing to but Nico was already planning how to introduce BEN to Nico’s favorite games like Dungeons and Dragons. Or maybe even Mythomagic, he didn’t think BEN would have any right to tease him about it since BEN spent a lot of time playing games meant for kids as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at these nerd babies. I love these nerd babies.


	5. Waiting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Requested by CreepypastaLOVER on fanfiction.net. The aftermath of Marble Hornets entry 82, though it turned out to be just sort of the aftermath of the entire thing.

When Hoody woke up he was alone. He knew he was, he was lying on the concrete where he had fallen. Nothing had changed except that now he was in pain and the lump in his pocket that had been the pill bottle was gone. Slowly Hoody started checking his limbs, his right leg seemed fine but when he moved his left one pain shot up it from his knee. He hissed softly and tried again, he could move the foot so it wasn't broken just really, really, badly bruised or maybe chipped. He tried his arms next, left one worked but the right one was definitely broken. He remembered now he had put it down to keep his head from being hurt to badly.

Very, very, carefully he stood. Holding his right arm with his left so it couldn't swing and putting most of his weight onto his right leg he looked around. No one, Tim and Jay had left and no one else had come for him. Of course they hadn't, who would? Carefully Hoody began to limp out of the building, he didn't know where to go or what to do but he felt like he couldn't stay here. He would go to the place he had been staying whenever he was alone. Masky would come for him, he didn't think about what he would do in the mean time, he didn't think much really.

It took him twice as long as it would have to get there as it normally would have because of his sore leg but he didn't think it mattered. He kept a steady pace, and it was dark, no one wanted to deal with the limping man walking on the side of the road. No one ever did, who would stop to help on their way home after dark? Very few people. Still just to be safe Hoody veered off the side of the road and into the woods as soon as he could following directions rather than landmarks.

Finally he found the abandoned building he had been staying in and limped inside. He carefully lowered himself to sit on his mattress accursing around his broken arm so that his legs would support it and he could reach for a water bottle. Once he had drunk and he wasn't thirsty anymore the pain from his arm and leg began to get to him. The adrenalin had worn off and he was alone again with no guaranty that anyone would come looking for him besides Alex to finally finish him off. Hoody curled up tightly laying down on his left side, the jarring to his arm finally pulling tears from his eyes.

He pulled of his mask so it wouldn't get wet and stared into the dark. He had thought he had been safe to approach Tim. Usually the coughing fits signaled that he would become Masky and Masky was Hoody's best friend, but he had been wrong. That wasn't what the coughing fit had meant this time. Hoody had been careless and he had paid for it. Hoody turned his face into the mattress to muffle his sobs even though they, like the rest of him, were already silent.

It always hurt the most when Tim acted like that towards him. Even though Hoody knew it wasn't Masky, Tim still looked like Masky and sounded like Masky. So when Tim shouted that he would kill Hoody it jarred inside Hoody in a way that threats from Jay or Alex never could. Besides there was no one here to judge him for crying so Hoody cried until exhaustion dragged him into sleep despite the pain.

When Hoody woke up he knew he would have to do something. His arm was not in the place it was meant to be, if it healed there he would be in trouble. So what? Go to a hospital, he was in America, the hospital cost money, money he didn't have, he didn't even have an identity anymore. They would think he was Brian, but he couldn't remember anything about Brian. They would ask him questions he couldn't answer and then think he had amnesia or a personality disorder and try to figure out what it was and how to fix it. The coughing started and he didn't have the pills to alleviate it because Tim had taken them.

Was the Operator nearby? Hoody wasn't sure how to feel about that. It was possible that the Operator could fix him, so he could continue to use him but it was also plausible he would think Hoody's weakness right now made him useless. If Alex was nearby as well which was often the case then Hoody was as good as dead without Masky here to defend him.

Hoody sat up gritting his teeth against both the pain and the coughing trying to breath deeply as he straightened his broken arm. He rolled up his sleeve and looked at it seeing the place where it bent slightly. Blinking away the tears the movement had caused and looked around him. If he couldn't go to a hospital what could he do for himself? He still had some of those tie things he had used to secure Alex once when he and Masky had managed to break out of the Operator's control and tried to kill him.

How could those be useful? The boards that scattered the floor caught his eye next. Of course, those boards were straight. He could make his arm follow the line of the wood and secure it with the ties, then it would heal straight, as close to right as he could make it. Hoody took a deep breath through his still gritted teeth. That would hurt, maybe more than he would be able to bear, but he couldn't just leave it the way it was because it hurt every time he moved. Maybe once it was secured it would hurt less and make up for the extra pain it would cause in the short term.

Hoody prayed that was the case as he got up carefully and collected three straight boards about the right size and length. He took them back to the mattress and sat down on it, just in case he did pass out he wouldn't hit his head on the hard floor at least. Picking up the boards and arranging them around the lower part of his arm where it had broken, he rested his arm on his lap in a way that kept them in place as he reached for the tie. Carefully he slid it around the highest part of the makeshift splint. It was a struggle to do this with one hand, again he wished that Masky was here to help him.

Once the tie was arranged he tightened it quickly gasping and curling in on himself for a moment as he adjusted to the new pain, then reached for a second tie. He could feel darkness encroaching on the edges of his mind and he needed to finish this before he passed out. He tightened the second one around his wrist. Shaking his head angrily to get rid of the black fog, he didn't let himself pause this time reaching for a third. He thought the more the better after all with casts they covered the entire arm. He only managed a fourth and a fifth before the darkness overcame his mind and he collapsed back into the blissful darkness.

When he woke up it was light but he had no idea if it was the same day or the next day. The pain in his arm had faded a little bit. He looked down at it laying on the mattress next to him. He had a vague notion it should be secured across his chest somehow, but he didn't know how to do that. He sat up and held his arm across his chest instead.

He hoped Masky would come for him soon, he was right handed, it would be hard to manage much of anything while it was broken, he needed help. But no matter how hard he hoped, Masky did not seem to come, it had been three days and Hoody needed to eat. He and Masky had always kept some preserved foods here, but opening almost any kind of packaging took two working hands. Two working hands which Hoody didn't have just then. Finally Hoody ended up holding a can of spaghetti between his knees and figuring out how to carefully use the can opener with one hand.

It took him so long he nearly cried out of pure frustration but he knew it would do no good so he dealt with it. He ate and drank, then got up walking around a little bit to stretch out the sore skin of his left leg and looked around outside the abandoned bit. There was no sign of Alex or the Operator, though that didn't mean they weren't nearby. Finally as the third day ended and it started to get dark Hoody went back in but didn't sleep again until early morning.

That was about how the next five days were spent, finally on the ninth day Hoody woke up and sensed someone in the room with him. He smiled, it couldn't only be Masky, he was the only one quiet enough to sneak up on Hoody. Slowly he opened his eyes and Masky was leaning against the wall across from Hoody wearing his mask, so there could be no confusion about which one he was.

"Masky." Hoody greeted softly sitting up. Masky started forward kneeling down in front of Hoody reaching toward his splinted arm and stopping half way. Knowing immediately what Masky was asking, Hoody held his arm out to Masky who took it gently looking at the makeshift cast carefully before nodding. Silently he pulled forward a backpack he had brought and pulled out a shirt. Carefully he tore it and showed Hoody how to tie it into a makeshift sling.

Once that was done Masky carefully hugged Hoody from behind to avoid jarring his arm. Hoody leaned back against Masky, reaching up with his good hand to push Masky's mask up so that he could nuzzle Hoody's neck. Hoody sighed and tilted his head back contentedly, he had been wrong to doubt Masky would come back for him.

"I'm sorry." Masky murmured.

"It's not your fault." Hoody whispered, Masky was the only one he felt comfortable speaking in front of anymore.

"I wish I could have stopped it. Or at least come back to you sooner." Hoody turned to face Masky.

"It's alright, I've waited longer for you before." Hoody assured wrapping his good arm around Masky. "What happened?"

"Alex is gone." Masky said with a fierce grin, Hoody stared at him in disbelief, they had been trying for so long, was in actually done.

"Really?" Hoody asked in breathless disbelief.

"Really." Masky said his predatory smile widening. "Though it was Tim who finally managed to kill him, I wish it had been me." Hoody chucked softly.

"And when does Tim have to be back." Hoody hadn't thought Masky's smile could widen any farther but it did and he shook his head. Hoody staired at him in confusion, he didn't understand, what did Masky man no?

"All of his friends are dead, he's got no job no house, nothing. He had a knife in his wrist by the time I managed to take control and stop him. He doesn't want to come back." Hoody stared at Masky for another long minute and then laughed joyously.

"You mean you can stay? You can stay with me?" He asked feeling tears prick at the corners of his eyes for a very different reason than they have been for the past week.

"Yes." Masky said softly smiling gently and leaning his forehead against Hoody's so they were looking each other directly in the eyes. "We never have to be alone again Hoody." And Hoody was crying and laughing at the same time. "Let's run away Hoody, get away from here, all these bad memories and the Operator. Hell maybe even out of the country we have nothing to keep us here now." Hoody nodded.

Masky let go of him and grabbed his backpack taking Hoody's hand he lead the way out of the building.

"I parked Tim's car near here, it's ours now. We'll stop at a motel, I'm sure you'd like to have a shower and I brought some clothes for you so you can change then we'll decide where to go." Hoody nodded, he just couldn't stop smiling. Masky would be the one to decide where they went he knew, after all Hoody was just happy as long as wherever he went Masky was there. As long as Masky was there Hoody was safe, he was loved he didn't have to be alone.


	6. Run

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Requested by Fantaku alliance on Fanfiction.net: Some of the creeps meeting the Stolls. This also goes out to everyone who has requested the creeps meeting the seven, I'm afraid this is the close as I can get right now guys but don't worry good things come to those who wait and read my main fic. It will happen eventually I promise.

“Oh we’ve done it now!” Connor Stoll shouted to his brother, half laughing as the sprinted through the woods away from the monster they had been poking with a stick for the sake of comedy.

“Oh really? I thought this was a pleasant stroll!” Travis shouted back, trying not to run into a tree. Connor laughed, loudly and a little hysterically. This was one of the many times the two of them had bit off more than they could chew on purpose.

Suddenly they heard a shout behind them, and the crashing of the monster chasing them stopped. Connor and Travis skidded to a halt and looked behind them to see the monster beginning to disintegrate with surprised snarls. When the monster was completely gone, there was only a boy standing there with a celestial bronze hatchet. His face was covered by a mouth guard and goggles, he whooped triumphantly kicking at some of the remaining monster dust.

“Not even monsters ever think to look up.” The boy laughed wildly. Travis and Connor straightened and glanced at each other before turning to face the boy. They weren’t sure that they should have stopped running really but it was too late now.

“Thanks for that.” Connor said carefully. “Who are you?”

“I’m Toby.” The boy said, head snapping up to look at them and then twitching to the side with a cracking sound that made them wince. Toby seemed to ignore it. “I take it you two are demi-gods?” 

“Yep I’m Connor and this is Travis.” Connor said.

“We’re the head counselor of the cabin for children of Hermes.” Travis added.

“Who are you? You must be a demigod to right?” Connor asked cocking his head to the side curiously.

“No I’m not a demigod.” The boy responded and twitched again.

“But your weapon.” Travis said in confusion gesturing at the hatchet. “That’s celestial bronze isn’t it?” The boy angled his blade so that the light reflected sharp edge and looked down at it fondly.

“It’s beautiful isn’t it?” He practically purred. Conner felt a shiver run down his spine and looked at Travis seeing that he felt the same. “Nico got it for me for my birthday.”

“Nico?!” Travis said perking up suddenly. “Nico Di Angelo?”

“You know Nico?” The boy said his head snapping back up to them.

“Oh ya we know him.” Travis said grinning.

“Ya we taught him how to play poker when he was like nine, he was such a dork back then.” Connor said. Travis laughed.

“We haven't seen him for a while though, he’s always disappearing.” Travis added and frowned. The boy standing across from them laughed this time.

“He’s always disappearing from you guys' camp because he actually lives with me now. I think he might be near by now actually. NICO!?” He yelled the last word loudly making both Connor and Travis jump. They waited for a minute, the only movement or sound being the boy's twitching.

“Honestly, Toby, what do you want?” Connor and Travis whipped around to see another boy coming out of the woods with a skull mask covering his face. “I thought we agreed I wasn’t. Wait is that Connor and Travis Stoll?” The boy pushed the mask up of his face and they recognized Nico.

“Oh so you do know them.” Toby said looking at Nico.

“Ya most of the head councilors know each other. Even though I’m hardly ever there I’ll be the head councilor of the Hades cabin until the is another child of Hades.”

“Oh good, that means they’re your problem.” Toby said. Connor and Travis watched this back and forth with curious and bemused expressions.

“Wait why does that make them my problem?”

“Well either they’re your problem or they’re my problem and we both know how I deal with my problems.”

“You’re right, they’re my problem.” Nico agreed hastily.

“Wait why are we anyone’s problem.” Travis asked waving his hands as if to clear away the previous conversation. Both Nico and Toby looked back at them. 

“I’m afraid you let whatever monster Toby killed drive you into woods that belongs to something far stronger and harder to kill.” Nico explained, Toby wondered over to stand behind Nico. “But that doesn’t mean there needs to be a fight. I’ll lead you out of the woods now and we can just put this all behind us.” Toby leaned in and mumbled something into Nico’s ear. “Alright. Toby says we have to wait until he gets Masky and Hoody so they can make sure you leave.”

Toby turned and sprinted off into the woods. Nico watched him go absently and took the mask off all the way letting his curly hair fall back down over his forehead.

“So is this where you keep running off to?” Connor asked trying to lighten the mood.

“huh?” Nico asked still looking after Toby. “Yes it is. I’ve been staying with Toby and his friends for a while now.”

“So why haven’t we heard anything about them?” Connor asked again. Travis was busy looking around warily, the talk of something old and hard to kill had worried them both so Travis had taken sentry.

“Because they’re not the sort of people my friends at camp would approve of me staying with. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t mention it to them.”

“Why wouldn’t they approve?”

“The less you know about that the better I’m afraid.” Nico said apologetically. He made an ahh noise as two people, one in a brown jacket with a white mask and one in a yellow sweatshirt with a black mask. Toby was right behind them. “Alright that’s Masky and Hoody accounted for. We can go now.” He waved for Connor and Travis to follow him. Hoody and Toby fell in on either side of them and Masky stayed behind.

“Wouldn’t just shadow traveling with us be easier?” Travis asked, neither of them liked being surrounded by these strangers in masks.

“No.” Nico said firmly. “This forest doesn’t like to let strange people out.” Travis and Connor both shivered at the suggestion that the forest was alive. Once the idea had been suggested to them they finally noticed it. They hadn’t had time before what with being chased by a monster and then meeting Toby. Now that they paid attention they could feel the life in the woods. Not just life but a malice, a distrust. They stayed quiet until they were out of the woods.

As soon as they had left the trees the ones called Masky and Hoody tuned and went back in leaving Toby, Nico and the Stolls alone. Toby hesitated to follow Masky and Hoody looking back at Nico.

“It’s alright you go on, I’ll be back soon.” Nico assured Toby, shooing him away. Toby nodded and vanished back into the woods. Nico watched him go before turning back to Connor and Travis. “Do you have a way to get back to camp from here? If not I can take you there through shadow travel but you won’t like it.”

“No we can get back to camp ourselves.” Travis assured Nico. “But I think you owe us a explanation of who those people where!’

“And where you’ve been the last while! Have you been staying with them?” Connor added.

“If it’s something I owe it’s a debt I can’t pay.” Nico said smiling wryly.

“Why not?” Travis demanded stubbornly. 

“Trust me guys, somethings are just not meant to be known. Or are better off unknown and it is not my place to tell them. It is my place as a child of Hades to exist between worlds. Between shadow and light, between mortal and immortal, and between Greek and other worlds, that if all goes well you will never need to know about. And trust me if you learn of them that would mean something has gone very seriously wrong. The kind of wrong we should all pray never happens.” There was a moment of silent before Nico laughed and continued.

“But that being said we’re demigods. Anything that can possibly go wrong will so you’ll probably learn of them sooner or later. That being said I still can’t let you find out from me because it’s not the sort of thing I want to be blamed for. So please, for all of our sakes just don’t mention all this until that time comes okay? I’ll try to stop by camp Half-blood soon.”

Just like that Nico was gone back into the woods that they had just left. Connor and Travis looked at each other and shrugged. They were good at keeping secrets when they wanted to be, Nico knew that. They didn’t like the idea of other worlds they didn’t know about, but the world that they lived in gave them enough trouble. Maybe Nico was right and they really didn’t want to add the problems of the other worlds to that list. They could wait until it involved the world they had lived in their entire lives.


	7. Can't Sleep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> requested by no one, I just wanted to write: toby comforting Nico after he wakes up from a nightmare.

Nico bolted up with a strangled gasp looking around himself frantically. He was in his room at Slender’s mansion. The curtains were open to let in the moonlight so he could clearly see where Toby lay next to him still asleep. Nico was still shaking from the dream of darkness, red mist, and the sounds of monsters.

Nico wrapped his arms around himself feeling his ribs still prominent from the weight he had lost in Tartarus. Weight is the only thing that Nico has not recovered. He curled in on himself careful not to disturb Toby and he started to cry silently. He doesn’t need to make sound when he cries anymore, in Tartarus it might have drawn attention to him to make any noise.

He can’t help the dream running through his mind again, it’s not a dream anyway just a memory. A memory he relives at least twice a week now in his dreams, usually more. He always does his best not to wake Toby but it hardly ever works.

“Nico?” Toby mumbles sleepily next to Nico. Nico froze with a soft hiccup. “Another nightmare?” Toby asked sitting up and wrapping his arms around Nico from behind.

“I’m sorry.” Nico said, his sorry ending in a sob.

“Shhh.” Toby hushes gently kissing the side of Nico’s head. “Same thing as usual?” Nico nodded. “What do you need?” This has become almost a routine. Sometimes Nico answers that he just needs to be held like he does for Toby when he’s having a breakdown. Sometimes he needs to be left alone and sometimes. 

“Read to me? I need to not think.” It’s what Nico does for Toby when the voices are getting too loud to drown them out, or distract him from them. Toby nods and turns on the bedside light and picks up the book that sits there. It’s the second Harry Potter book, they’ve already gotten through the first one this way.

“Will you ever learn that I don’t mind being woke up to look after you?” Toby asked as he flipped the pages to their bookmark.

“I just don’t want to bother you.” Nico said softly curling up next to Toby as Toby scowled.

“I really hope that someday we’ll get past trying not to worry each other. “It only makes things worse, doesn’t it?” Nico sighs and nods, Toby is right. Nico always gets mad at Toby when he doesn’t tell Nico about getting hurt or being upset because Nico wants to help. He understood that Toby probably wanted to help as well but still somehow, Nico can’t convince himself that that is the case.

Toby leans back against the headboard, his foot twitching under the blanket as he starts to read. Nico watches his lips move and he listens to letting the words drown out his memories. It’s a good story; Nico liked it, he wished that they weren’t always reading it under these circumstances. As it begins to wash away the dream he moved closer to Toby, resting his head on Toby’s stomach where he can feel Toby’s breathing. Toby kept reading until Nico heard a break in his voice.

“You can stop now I’ll be fine. You can go back to sleep if you want to.” Nico said softly resting his hand lightly on Toby’s chest feeling the muscles tighten as his shoulder twitched.

“Will you be able to get back to sleep?” Toby asked looking down at Nico skeptically. Nico was about to say that he thought he would be able to, but the look in Toby’s eyes made it clear he wouldn’t fall for it.

“Probably not.” Nico admitted. “But that doesn’t matter.” Toby wrapped his arms around Nico and gave his a gentle squeeze.

“Why don’t we go down to the living room and watch a movie?” Toby asked “I’ve been meaning to show you the Corpse Bride, I think you’ll like it, Tim Burton is totally your style.” Nico perked up slightly.

“Are you sure?” he asked uncertainly giving Toby another chance to back out if he just wanted to go back to sleep.

“150% sure!” Toby agreed happily pilling Nico up out of bed with him. “I can’t promise I’ll stay awake through the whole thing but at least then you won’t be bored.” Just before Toby could rush them out of the room Nico pulled Toby back and gave him a soft kiss.

“Thank you Toby.” Nico said softly. Toby smiled back at him stupidly for a moment before snapping out of it and continued to lead the way down to the living room. Toby set up the movie which they had on DVD and then came to sit next to Nico on the couch. Twenty minutes into the movie Toby was asleep again. Nico smiled at him fondly and curled up hugging his legs to watch the rest of the movie which Toby had been right about. Nico really liked it. 

By the time the movie ended it was nearly time that everyone would be waking up. Nico got up from the couch carefully, and went to the kitchen to brew coffee and tea for everyone. Carefully he got out everyone’s mugs from the shelf full of miscellaneous ones. Sally’s had a unicorn on it, Slenderman’s a robot saying “Kill all humans” which Jeff had got him as a joke, Ben’s looked like a Mario block, and E.J’s with the words I heart anatomy and an atomically correct heart. Nico got down his and Toby’s last. Toby’s had a ceramic axe for a handle and Nico’s has black skulls in the pattern of a heart on it’s white background. He smiled at it, it had been a gift from Toby early in their relationship.

Carefully he fixed both of their teas, his own with milk and no sugar and Toby’s with two sugars and milk. He waited until he knew both his and Toby’s drinks were cool enough to drink before he left the rest of the tea to steep and coffee to brew and carried his and Toby’s mugs back out to the living room. Carefully he put them on the coffee table before waking Toby up with a kiss.

“Good morning Toby. Everyone will be coming down soon and I figured you’d rather be woken up by this.” Nico said softly as Toby blinked at him sleepily. Nico passed Toby his tea, which he took a sip of automatically blinking the last of the sleep from his eyes.

“Sorry I fell asleep.” He mumbled groggily taking another sip of his tea.

“I don’t mind.” Nico said reassuringly. “I enjoyed the movie anyway.”

“Good I’m glad.” Toby mumbled smiling at Nico in a sleepy fashion he found absolutely adorable. He was interrupted all too soon by Masky stomping down the stairs. 

“Good morning Masky!” Toby said immediately putting on his most annoyingly enthusiastic voice. Masky snarled wordlessly at Toby and stomped into the kitchen followed closely by Hoody. Nico laughed. What other behavior could they expect from the people with “If I am drinking out of this mug, don’t even think of talking to me. It is to early and I will cut you.” And “Sorry I’m closed” on their mugs.


	8. Siblings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Requested by Bunny again and two other Guests on Fanfiction: Nico yelling at Hazel, Jason and Percy for accusing Toby  
> And Combined with  
> Request by anon Bunny again: Can Aphrodite visit them?

“Why did you do that?” Nico asked Hazel, Percy, and Jason coldly. He had been trying to track them down for nearly two hours. He supposed that at some point word had gotten to them that he was looking for them and they had hidden. When he had found them they were very conspicuously looking inconspicuous between the Zeus cabin.

“Oh hey, Nico.” Jason said starting guiltily. “What are you talking about?”

“You know perfectly well what I’m talking about, Grace.” Nico snapped at Jason, who winced.

“Uh oh last names.” Percy mumbled. Nico turned his glare on Percy.

“Shut up, Jackson.” Nico snapped back and Percy winced. “And you Hazel.” Nico snarled, rounding on her. “Do you have so little faith in me that you think I would let a human abuse me?” Hazel to her credit didn’t flinch.

“We just worry about you because we care, Nico.” Hazel said staring at him levelly. 

“Well it’s a funny way of carrying making the person that makes me happiest cry.” Nico growled out, and this time Hazel did flinch looking hurt. Nico felt a hand on his shoulder from behind.

“Nico, don’t fight your sister over me.” Toby murmured in Nico’s ear. “It’s okay, I’m fine.”

“No.” Nico growled out not bothering to “They need to, trust me!”

“We do trust you Nico.” Jason protested. “Just.”

“Just not enough to choose my own boyfriend without your interference?!” Toby interrupted angrily. “I can look after myself. Honestly none of you have paid much attention to what I do before now. Isn’t it a bit late to start now. Especially you, Jackson, as far as I remember you’ve never paid attention to my life before, why now? Are you jealous now that you’re not my type.” Percy turned red. Nico’s lip curled in satisfaction.

“Don’t push us away Nico.” Hazel snapped back pulling herself to her full high as Jason and Percy hunched slightly.

“I’m not pushing you away, Hazel. I want you in my life, you’re my sister of course I do I just don’t want your role to be harassing my boyfriend!” 

“Why not? You’ve harassed mine.” Hazel snapped back a angry blush rising to his cheeks.

“Never on purpose!” Nico contradicted. “It is not my fault he’s afraid of death and I always feel like death.”

“Honestly, Nico, he’s a killer and crazy, how on earth can he be good for you?” Hazel asked pointing an accusing finger at Toby, over Nico’s head. Nico heard the sharp intake of breath behind him from Toby who had probably flinched back. 

“Don’t you dare. The way he acts around other people has nothing to do with how he acts around me, Hazel, he is good to me. He reached out to me before any of you did and we’ve agreed to look after each other, he would never hurt me on purpose.” Nico said stepping closer to Hazel. There combined anger rolled down into the earth making it growl and shift. “Besides you have no idea what his life has been like, what he’s been through. Maybe there’s a reason he is the way he is.”

“How well do you know him, Nico?’ Hazel demanded almost screaming now as the shifts in the ground made Jason and Percy stumble. “How much does he not tell you about so that you’ll feel safe around him? We’ve all seen those fits he has how can you be sure he wouldn’t hurt you during one of those?”

“Hazel don’t make this harder than it needs to be.” Nico said his voice cold and smooth, his eyes black and hard as obsidian. “Just apologize and promise you won’t accuse Toby of something like that ever again.” Small cracks began to form in the ground spirally out from Nico. Jason’s eyes were wide. He opened his mouth immediately presumably to apologize just as Nico asked, but Hazel didn’t give him the chance.

“No! Nico I’m your sister and you’re my only family. I’ll make sure you stay safe any way I think I can!” now she was shouting. Precious stones began to surface in the ground around her, Percy had to duck to avoid one that flew out of the ground like a bullet. Nico was almost certain that they would have caused an earthquake if they had continued. However, at that moment they were all distracted by a beautiful woman who ran up to them chased closely by Piper.

“Mother where are you going?” Piper half shouted looking confused and a little afraid.

“Honestly, I was only planning a quiet visit to my children but it seems my timing is perfect.” Aphrodite said stopping gracefully between Nico and Hazel. “Now calm down both of you. I’m sure those stones will make beautiful jewelry but not if they’re being used as weapons.” Aphrodite fixing her hair unnecessarily since it was always.

“Venus.” Hazel greeted Aphrodite politely doing something that was half a curtsy half a nod. Aphrodite smiled.

“Well hello again, Hazel.” She greeted warmly. “I have to say I’m disappointed at the situation I find you in. But I suppose you’re not one of my children so I can’t expect you to recognize. Now Toby, do you want to tell Hazel why she never needs to worry that Nico will be abused at your hands.”

Nico turned to see Toby getting up shakily. The tremors in the earth must have knocked him over at some point. Nico gave him an apologetic and encouraging look when Toby glanced at him uncertainly. Carefully Toby stepped forward putting his arm around Nico, Nico knew it was more for his own comfort than Nico’s.

“D-do you mean my father?” He asked Aphrodite nervously. She nodded, giving him a warm and encouraging smile. “Okay.” Toby breathed unhappily and turned his attention back to Hazel. “I know perfectly well what an abusive relationship looks like. I don’t get my violence from nowhere but my father’s violence was directed inwardly at his family. I will never be like him. Never."

“I will never hurt the people I love like he did. I know the warning signs from watching him and I won’t let that. He was the first person I killed because I couldn’t watch him hurting the people I love anymore. I would kill anyone before I let them hurt Nico, that includes myself.” Toby trailed off almost awkwardly. Nico wrapped both of his arms around Toby’s waist hiding his face in Toby’s chest.

“No.” Nico mumbled softly enough that only Toby would be able to hear. “Don’t you dare ever leave me.” Toby smiled gently down at Nico.

“What?” Toby asked gently. “I know perfectly well I’m a bad person. You’re probably the closest to Elysian I’ll ever get and my life would be less than worthless without you.” 

“Now do you understand?” Aphrodite asked smiling happily. “There are almost no better hands that you could leave your brother in. Their love is one of the most unassumingly true ones I have seen in a very long time. Nico has found his other half, you should be happy for him.” Hazel stared at Aphrodite in shock for a moment and then hung her head in shame.

“I’m sorry Nico, Toby. I just didn’t understand and I do now.” She mumbled barely loud enough for Nico and Toby to hear.

“It’s alright Hazel I don’t really trust me either.” Toby said smiling at her over Nico’s head at her. “Just please, please you two, never fight again? I live with monsters and that was the most terrifying things I have ever seen.” Nico laughed when Percy and Jason nodded their enthusiastic agreement, Hazel joined in uncertainly.

“I’m sorry to Hazel.” Nico said softly once they were done laughing. “I know you were just trying to look after me but someone needs to look after Toby to and he certainly won’t do it.” Nico and Toby exchanged a loving smile and Aphrodite clapped softly.

“My work here is done.” She exclaimed and swept away dramatically with Piper in tow.

“Honestly mother did you have to..” her voice reseated out of earshot and after glancing nervously at Nico. Hazel, and Jason followed them. Once Percy noticed that Jason was leaving he chased after him shouting something like;

“Bro don’t leave me!” Which made the three left laugh again and forget about their anger.


	9. Tea Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Request: was by a guest on archive for a tea party with Sally, Jane, Hoody and Nico but I got distracted by Masky/Hoody fluff. Maybe I'll write a more to the point tea party shot later but for now this is what I wrote.

“Hoody! Hoody! Hoodyhoodyhoodyhoody!” Sally screeched rushing down the hall and bursting into Hoody and Masky’s room. She jumped up on their bed bouncing next to where Hoody was curled into Masky’s arm jerking them both out of sleep.

“Wh-wha?” Hoody asked at the same time that Masky flipped over pulling a gun out of their bedside drawer and pointing it at Sally. Sally stuck out her tongue at Masky and then ignored him and shook Hoody’s arm excitedly.

“Hoody, Jane’s coming to visit this afternoon!” Sally chirped bouncing again. Masky woke up enough to realize who it was and dropped back to the bed with a groan.

“So?” Hoody asked still pretty out of it, he did not wake up quickly like Masky did.

“Soooo we’re gonna have a tea party! Come on you have to help me bake cookies! Pleasepleaseplease Hoody! Maybe even cupcakes too? You can join the tea party with us and have some too pleeeeaase!” Sally pleaded, going back to bouncing on the bed and shaking Hoody’s arm.

“Okay okay!” Hoody said laughing. “J-just let me get d-dressed and I’ll help you b-bake for Jane.”

“YAY!” Sally exclaimed and jumped off their bed running back out of the room at full tilt. Her bare feet pattering against the floor as she realized she forgot to close their door and rushed back to correct her mistake.

“We should have known this was coming.” Masky groaned wrapping an arm around Hoody and pulling him closer. “Every time Jeff goes away, Jane comes to visit, and every time Sally gets really excited and insists on throwing her most elaborate tea parties.”

“You can’t blame her.” Hoody said turning over to face Masky and cuddling up to him a bit closer. “Most of the creeps are men so she doesn’t have many female friends. She likes Clockwork, but Clockwork only comes to visit two or three times a year.” He spoke softly but didn’t stutter, it was nerves that made him stutter most of the time and he never felt nervous around Masky. 

“Ya I know.” Masky said finally letting go of Hoody so that Hoody could slip out of bed and start getting dressed. “It doesn’t hurt that Jane absolutely adores Sally back and spoils her rotten. How much do you want to bet that Jane will bring her another new dress?” 

“I’m betting that Jane’s going to bring her a dress and a new doll. It’s been longer than usual since Jane’s last visit and she’ll feel like she needs to make up for that.” Hoody said, pulling on a white T-shirt. His hand hovered over his usual yellow sweater before he decided to go without it. He didn’t want to get baking ingredients all over it anyway.

“I learned a long time ago not to bet against you.” Masky laughed, wriggling back underneath the blankets. “There’s a reason you're considered the brain and I’m the body.”

“And I take it ‘the body’ is going back to sleep?” Hoody asked raising one eyebrow at his partner.

“Yep.” Masky sighed his eyes already closed.

Hoody shook his head and snuck out of their bedroom, going to the bathroom to brush his teeth before he headed downstairs to find a impatient Sally waiting in the kitchen. She already had their usual aprons out, her floral one was already on and she was standing on a chair she had pushed over to the counter.

“What kind of c-cookies do you want?” Hoody asked, picking up his apron, a fairly plain one with grey and black vertical stripes, and putting it on carefully.

“Ummm gingerbread?” Sally asked and Hoody groaned.

“You k-know how long that t-takes.” Hoody complained but he was already walking over to the cupboards to make sure they had all the ingredients they needed. Now he was glad that Sally had woken him up early, ginger bread took a lot of kneading and that took a while. To add to that, the fact that it had to be chilled for three hours before it could be rolled cut out and baked and Sally would only just be finished decorating in time for Jane’s arrival.

Sally helped Hoody mostly by getting the ingredients he needed through the course of making the dough, and eating parts of it when Hoody couldn’t shoo her away fast enough. She tried to half knead it but that was mostly just for her benefit because her small arms weren’t strong enough to work the dough as much as it needed. Masky came down half way through the process when Hoody was already up to his elbows in flour and was instantly roped into taking a turn, which he did without to much complaint. Once the dough was finished, they broke it up into three even chunks and put it in the fridge to chill.

“Now for the cupcakes!” Sally said bouncing happily on her chair. Hoody would have been worried she’s break it if she had any weight at all. 

“Really Sally?” Masky asked smiling crookedly. “Aren’t the cookies enough? Both you and Hoody are covered in flour as it is.”

“No! Come onnnn you want chocolate cupcakes as much as I do, I know it!” Sally objected pointing imperially at Masky.

“I’m not s-sure we have enough ch-chocolate Sal.” Hoody said apologetically.

“Go get us more chocolate!” Sally demanded without changing her position. 

“What!?” Masky barked, his eyes widening.

“Jane hates vanilla cupcakes you know that! Go get us more chocolate!” she said, jumping of her chair so she could jump up and down properly. Catching Hoody’s pointed look she added a quick. “Please.” To the end of her demand.

“Ugh fine, but I had better get some of these cupcakes too.” Masky said searching in his pockets for something.

“You can tea party with us!” Sally promised.

“You l-left your keys the jacket you wore y-yesterday.” Hoody told Masky patiently. Masky blinked twice and nodded going over to the coat rack and reaching into the pocket finding his car keys right away.

“Thanks Hoody.” Masky said tossing his car keys up and catching them again. “Do you wanna come with me just for the drive Hoody?” Hoody knew exactly what Masky was doing, he liked Sally a lot. Besides Masky, Sally was probably Hoody’s favorite creepypasta, but Hoody was quiet and liked the quiet, and there was little chance of getting any quiet while Sally was around.

“Okay.” Hoody said gratefully following Masky to the door he turned back to Sally for a moment to see her pouting at him. “D-don’t look at me l-like that. We c-can’t do anymore b-baking without the chocolate. Just g-go play with L.J. or s-smile dog.” Sally thought about it for a moment then nodded and ran out the back door. Hoody turned and followed Masky to the garage.

“Sal’s doing her best to keep you busy all day isn’t she?” Masky said once they were in the car with the ignition started.

“Yep.” Hoody said chuckling. “Not that I really mind, I mean I like it when Jane comes too, only if because it means Jeff’s gone.” Hoody grinned when Masky laughed and pulled his legs up onto the seat hugging them. Masky twisted in his seat to see where he was backing out resting his arm in the back of Hoody’s seat to do it. Once they were out and turned Masky left it there using one arm to steer casually. When Toby was with them, they both did their best to keep both hands on the wheel and drive carefully for his sake but when they were alone they were more casual about it.

“Ya with Jeff around none of us get any peace anyway, at least Sally’s noise is going to result in baked goods instead of blood.” Hoody chuckled and nodded. ”So do you want just a quiet drive or do you want to listen to music.”

“Music is fine. You can pick.”

“Even if I’d pick Hollywood Undead?” Masky asked raising one eyebrow and glancing sideways at Hoody.

“Even then.” Hoody chuckled. “Just don’t turn it up to loud please.”

“Okay.” Masky agreed easily. “Will you find the CD for me? We really should get an iPod jack for this thing.”

“Why? Neither of us have an iPod.” Hoody asked reaching for the folder of CD’s and starting to sort through them. “Only Toby has one because it helps drown out the voice in his head sometimes.”

“We should get an iPod.” Masky said without missing a beat as Hoody found their Hollywood Undead CD, Swan Song and slipped into the player chuckling and shaking his head at Masky’s vehement tone. Once the music started Hoody mostly tuned it out, tuning back in only for Young, City and Paradise Lost.

When they got to the store, Hoody let Masky go in by himself to get what they needed and stayed in the car. He leaned back against the car seat and closed his eyes taking long steady breaths, counting them internally doing his best to tune everything out. He couldn’t help but follow the conversations of people who passed the car. Analyzing their responses and tones almost automatically. He only stopped when Masky got back into the car. His presence quieted Hoody’s over active mind and Hoody opened his eyes and smiled at Masky.

“You got the baking chocolate?” Hoody asked softly.

“Of course I did.” Masky said scoffing. He reached into the bag and pulled out a bag of chips. “I just also got us a treat.”

“They’re not salt and vinegar are they?” Hoody asked raising his eyebrows, he hated salt and vinegar chips but Masky loved them.

“No, I got onion and sour cream. I know we can both agree on that.” Masky answered rolling his eyes and opening the bag of chips putting them in the space between their seats so they could both reach them. “Since I picked the music on the way here why don’t you pick it for the way back?”

“Eliza Rickman?” Hoody asked already reaching for the CD book. Masky nodded and Hoody found the CD taking out Hollywood Undead and slipping O, You Sinners by Eliza Rickman in. He sighed when the car was filled by her much more gentle music and hummed along softly enough to not drown out her voice. 

Once they got home, Sally insisted on starting the cupcakes right away which went fairly well. The batter was done and the cupcakes in the oven just in time for the gingerbread dough to be taken out of the fridge, rolled, and cutout while the cupcakes baked. By the time the cupcakes were ready to come out the gingerbread was ready to go in the already heated oven.

As usual, it took some convincing for Sally to let the cupcakes cool before decorating them. In the end Masky took Sally to try and find L.J. because he would want to help decorating. Hoody and Masky both knew exactly where L.J. was, playing video games with BEN, so Masky could make sure that Sally looked everywhere else first, and give the cupcakes time to cool so that by the time Sally found L.J. and they both came back the cupcakes were cool enough to start decorating.

Hoody made up the icing to avoid some of the mess. By the time L.J. and Sally were done with the cupcakes the counter was still a mess of colourful icings and sprinkles. Masky scowled at them the entire time because he knew it would be him stuck with the job of cleaning up. Sure enough as soon as the cupcakes and cookies were finished and decorated both Sally and L.J. ran away to set Sally’s table for tea, leaving Masky and Hoody to clean up.

“I know you have to go make sure they don’t break everything.” Masky said in irritation when Hoody glanced at him with an apologetic look. Masky shooed Hoody out of the kitchen and started cleaning.

Hoody got upstairs just in time to catch a teacup the L.J. had dropped before it could shatter on the ground. These had been a gfst from Splenderman, no doubt they were quite old and valuable. Certainly they were beautiful with different coloured floral patterns delicately painted around the rims of the cups and saucers. They were china as well, not a day went by that Hoody didn’t question giving such deficit things to someone as clumsy as Sally. However with his direction they managed to avoid breaking anything. Once the table was set, Sally ran downstairs to wait at the front door for Jane, assigning Hoody the duty of guarding the treats. 

He was a poor guard though, because he didn’t even try to stop BEN when he came by to swipe one of the cupcakes. At three Masky came up with a pot of tea, ten minutes later they heard Sally shrieking Jane’s name. Smiling at each other they went down to meet Jane as well. When they got down Sally was up in Jane’s arms, her legs wrapped comfortably around Jane’s waist as she chattered happily about the tea party she had planned. As Hoody had said there were two presents that had been placed at Jane’s feet to make room in her arms for Sally.

“That sounds amazing Sally.” Jane said happily giving Sally and extra squeeze. “Why don’t you show me?” Sally nodded and wriggled down from Jane’s arms, grabbing her hand and dragging her upstairs. Jane waved at Hoody and Masky and Hoody who picked up the presents that had been forgotten in the confusion. Sally would want to open them soon.

“See!” Sally said excitedly once she had dragged Jane to her room where they had set up the tea party. “We worked all morning to make the gingerbread cookies 'cause they take forever!”

“It looks amazing Sal!” Jane said breaking into a smile that made her back eyes crinkle. “And you remembered that chocolate cupcakes are my favorite!”

“Yep Masky had to go to the town to get more chocolate but I knew they just couldn’t be vanilla! And I’ve been so good I haven’t even eaten any of them yet.”

“No you j-just ate half the d-dough.” Hoody said rolling his eyes. Sally stuck her tongue out at him and Jane laughed coming over to give Masky and Hoody each a proper greeting and a hug. 

“Well why don’t we get started before the tea gets cold?” Masky said, and they all chose seats. As they were settling in, L.J. stuck his head in.

“I knew there was a tea party happening. And you didn’t invite me?” Making an overly exaggerated hurt face. Immediately Sally leapt up from her seat and ran over to him taking his hand and dragging him into the room.

“We you’re invited now come onnnn so we can finally eat the cakes!” L.J. laughed and followed Sally in, folding himself into one of the empty chairs that was much too small for him so the tea party could start.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> during the roughly six week break between my last creepypasta/HoO fanfiction and the next one I should become far more active on these one shots. I should be able to complete all the prompts that I have been woefully neglectful off and maybe some new ones if I get them. Feel free to request and I will do my best!


	10. The Enderman Bros

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Requested by Bunny and guest on fanfiction.net: Nico meeting Slendermans brothers.

Nico woke up when his bed started to feel cool. As soon as he was fully awake he realized that the reason it felt cool was that Toby wasn’t in it. The second thing Nico noticed was the commotion downstairs. Nico supposed he must have been having one of the nights where he slept like the dead for it not to have woke him up earlier. He stretched and groaned before sliding out of bed. His burns were mostly better now, but his skin still felt oddly tight and uncomfortable. Carefully he slid out of bed, got dressed quickly, and then ran his fingers through his hair trying to tame the curls, which inexorably sprang back up as quickly as he could flatten them.

Just incase the commotion was caused by guest, which it was known to be, Nico figured he should brush his teeth and be already for the day before he went down. He wished someone would have told them if there were going to be guests. Sometimes the creeps forgot that Nico was new here, so if it was someone who came at the same time every couple of months or every year they may have forgotten that he didn’t know about it like everyone else did. Once Nico was ready he went downstairs and was nearly ran over by Jeff who was making a bolt for the door. Nico leapt back out of the way as Masky came barreling down the hallway after him.

“Oh no you don’t, Slenderman wants you to stay.” Masky yelled, tackling Jeff’s legs out from under him so they both crashed to the floor.

“Well I don’t want to stay!” Jeff yelped trying to wriggle out of Masky’s hold. “Last time his brothers came to stay, Trender forced me into a dress and Offender hit on me!”

“Ya that was because you got them all drunk! Just don’t give them any alcohol and we shouldn’t have any repeats.” Masky shouted and there was a bang of something hard, one of their elbows, knees or heads hitting the ground hard. Masky growled in pain. Nico really didn’t know who to help, but luckily he was saved from having to decide by Slenderman teleporting into the room and picking Jeff up in one of his long tentacles. Jeff growled and thrashed.

“ _Honestly, Jeffry, do my brothers frighten you so much?_ ” Slenderman asked Jeff sounding concerned. Nico noticed that Slenderman was wearing a long apron with puppies on it and tried not to chuckle.

“I’m not scared of anything.” Jeff snapped his mouth twisting into a grimace. “I just don’t feel like being here to deal with your weirdo family.”

“ _Jeffry, that is very rude_.” Slenderman snapped turning around to carry Jeff deeper into the house. “ _I’m not sure I want you around my brothers either, but it does not matter, for they want to see you._ ”

“Nooo.” Jeff objected dramatically. It quickly faded out as Slenderman dragged Jeff away, leaving Masky and Nico in the front room together.

“So what is going on?” Nico asked Masky curiously and Masky looked up at him in shock.

“Shit, did we forget to tell you?” He asked. Nico nodded patiently. “Slenderman’s brothers, Trenderman, Splenderman, and Offenderman are coming to visit.” Nico raised one eyebrow. “Ya I know, weird names, and they’re all really different from Slenderman and each other. We should have warned you about it before but it just slipped all of our minds I guess. Anyway, Slenderman always gets really frazzled before they arrive because he wants everything to be at it’s best for their visit. Watch out for Offenderman, whatever you do don’t accept any flowers if he tries to give any to you. If Splenderman does though, make sure to accept them, he’s the one in the polka-dot suit and he likes to give people gifts.”

“Okay is there anything else I need to know.” Nico asked patiently.

“Splenderman basically lives to make people happy so he’s really fun to be around.” Masky said shrugging. “Trenderman is obsessed with fashion so he might try to force you to change clothes, just put up a fight about it and he’ll give up quickly. He hates fighting because he might tear or dirty his own clothes. If he likes your style, which he might. I don’t know you’re kinda Goth. Maybe the Goth scene is different, he’ll probably end up buying you a lot of clothes. You don’t have to wear them but doesn’t refuse them he gets really pissy about it. I think that’s it.” Masky said getting up and brushing himself off of nonexistent dust. “Now come on Slenderman is cleaning everything that doesn’t need to be cleaned and we could use some help.”

“Okay.” Nico laughed and followed Masky to where he and Hoody had been cleaning the outside of all the windows. “So when are Slender’s brothers supposed to come?” Nico asked as Masky picked Nico up so he could reach the top of a taller window.

“They should be here in about an hour then they’re staying for dinner, and Trender and Splender will probably stay the night. Offender isn’t allowed to spend the night with us anymore because he’s too much of a creep.” Masky answered, his voice only a little strained from holding Nico up as Nico finished the window.

“Okay, you can put me back down now. Too much of a creep for the Creeps? That must be really something.”

“He’s the perverted kind of creepy and we all got sick of it really, really, quickly.” Masky explained moving on to the next window.

“Oh that makes sense.” Nico agreed grimacing.

“HELOOOO.” They heard a shout come from around the front of the building. Hoody took off running in that direction as fast as he could.

“Shit, I should have know Splender would turn up early!” Masky exclaimed and sprinted after Hoody, at a loss of what else to do, Nico followed them. When they turned the corner Slenderman was already there, being hugged tightly by an equally tall being with a black smiley face and a polka-dot suit.

“It’s so good to see you, Slender!” Splender beamed twirling his brother around. “How has my darling little brother been doing? I love your apron! Don’t you think it could use more glitter though?” Splender reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of glitter, blowing it all over Slendy’s apron and squinting in pleasure at the result.

“ _It’s good to see you too, Splender._ ” Slender chuckled awkwardly brushing some of the glitter off his suit. “ _I’ve been doing well._ ”

“Oh and Masky and Hoody!” Splender said turning on the two of them and picking them both up for a one armed hug each. Hoody was beaming but Masky squirmed uncomfortably, so Splender put them both down fast. “Oh and who is this?” Splender asked, finally taking notice of Nico, who was standing back a little ways with his hands awkwardly shoved deep in the pockets of his ripped jeans. “Another addition to your little orphanage of wayward murderers?” Splender asked looking back at Slender.

“Actually I don’t kill anyone when I can help it.” Nico answered for himself and Splender looked back at him in shock. “I’m here because I have the ability to raise the dead. Which most of the world finds terrifying, and the people here seem to find fascinating. It’s no competition who I want to spend time with.” Nico explained smiling, there was something about Splender that made it hard not to. Suddenly Splender was picking Nico up in a tight hug as well.

“Well then it’s nice to meet you!” Splenderman said, putting Nico back down and holding a bunch of daisies out to him. “I’m Splenderman.”

“It’s nice to meet you too.” Nico said grinning and accepting the flowers, doing his best not to let his powers kill them. “I’m Nico Di Angelo.”

“Do you have one of those funny titles my brother's friends seem so fond of?” Spenderman asked crouching down to be closer to Nico’s level.

“The Ghost King.” Nico said looking down and to the side. “I know it sounds really pretentious but the dead of earth really do consider me their king, so it wasn’t really my choice.”

“Do you mind if I call you Ghosty?” Splenderman asked his eyes squinting in pleasure again.

“No not at all.” Nico said agreeably just as Sally burst out of the mansion screaming joyfully. Splenderman made a similar noise and turn instantly to scoop Sally up into his arms, from which she scrambled up to sit on his shoulders and start chattering to him.

“Why don’t we head inside 'til the others arrive?” Splenderman asked awkwardly. Slender turned to him in shock.

“Oh they just got here. They’re in the woods, your senses really haven’t gotten much better, have they brother?”

Nico could have sworn Splenderman was blushing, but whatever his response would have been was interrupted by two more tall figures making their way out of the woods. One of them was wearing a brown sweater vest over a white shirt and black dress pants. He didn’t have a face, just like Slenderman, but for some reason he was wearing glasses. The other was just a little taller than Splender or Trender. He was wearing a black trench coat and hat, he had a wide sharp toothed smile and no eyes.

Nico guessed that the one in the black and the trenchcoat was Offender, and Trender was the one with glasses. Offender ignored everyone, going straight to his brother and giving him a one armed hug grinning even wider. Trender surveyed them all loftily until his eyes seemed to fall on Nico. Nico fidgeted uncomfortably.

 _“You’re new here, aren’t you?_ ” Splender asked Nico. He spoke telepathically, like Slender, but it was a very different voice. “What are you, goth?”

“Yes I’m new, I’m Nico Di Angelo. I don’t really mean to be goth, but I am the Ghost King so I suppose wearing black is part of the job description.” Nico fidgeted again as Trender seemed to sniff.

“I’m calling him Ghosty!” Splenderman said flouncing over to the two of them. “Don’t scare him brother he seems nice.” Trenderman seemed to scowled for a moment staring down at Nico appraisingly. He then uncrossed his arms and pulled a top hat seemingly out of the air, placing it on Nico's head. Nico was too startled to object, and after another moment of staring at Nico, Trender nodded approvingly.

“ _There, now at least you could pass for it in the Goth scene_.” Trenderman said and walked away to join his brothers. Nico was left with a top hat and a bunch of daisies feeling very confused and awkward. He heard a chuckled next to him and looked over to see that Toby had slipped up beside him.

“You look funny, but if Trender put the hat on you it would be best if you wore it for a little while anyway. I’ll take the flowers before they wilt to nothing. You really do a number on plants.” Toby said. Nico relinquished the already wilting flowers to him.

“Slenderman’s brothers are really something aren’t they?” Toby asked grinning widely. Nico just nodded. Toby put one hand on Nico’s lower back and lead him inside after the other as they finally shuffled through into the living room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tomorrows update will be NSFW so this one is to make up for that to anyone who doesn't like NSFW stuff.


	11. Shower Time (mildly NSFW)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Requested by Jcicid on Archive: I WOULD request Toby/Nico nsfw but I rather see it in the sequel.
> 
> NSFW things will never appear in my main fic because I want to to be safe for all audiences. So here's some not quite SFW stuff, I have an actual sex one shot in the works but it's my first time writing smut so it's taking me longer then expected. hopefully you'll like this and the sex shot will come later.
> 
> Takes place about a year after NatC

Nico slid under the hot water of the shower relaxing as it flowed over his skin soothing his old scars. Sighing deeply he put his head under the stream of steamy water keeping it in there for as long as he could hold his breath. He didn't feel the need to open his eyes afterwards, he had long since felt secure in his place at the creepypasta mansion and no one bothered him anymore. He didn't even open them when there was a nock at the door.

"Yep?" Nico called.

"Can I come in?" It was Toby's voice, Nico smiled.

"Sure." Nico called back, it wouldn't be the first time Toby had seen Nico naked. Not that they had had sex yet. No they were both far to body conscious for that as of yet, especially Nico, but they were in the process of trying to get comfortable with being naked around each other. Nico heard the door open and then shut again. "Just into the bathroom or into the shower with me?" Nico asked.

"Into the shower with you, if you don't mind." Toby answered hesitantly. Nico had thought as much, Toby had just come back from a job he probably really needed to wash. And with the sort of job it was Nico wanted to check him for injuries anyway.

"Of course I don't mind." Nico said smiling as he heard the rustling of cloth and the muted thud of it hitting the ground. After a minute the shower curtain was pulled back slightly and Toby stepped in behind Nico. Nico shuffled forward slightly and Toby moved so he was under the stream of water as well reaching around Nico for the shampoo. Nico leaned back against Toby sighing as Toby began to work the shampoo through Nico's hair making Nico hum happily.

"How did your job go?" Nico asked.

"It went well." Toby replied, he knew better then to give Nico details. Nico opened his eyes and quickly noticed that some of the water rushing down the drain was a sort of pink that only came about one way.

"That had better not be your blood." Nico demanded sharply.

"Huh? Oh. Don't worry it isn't." Toby answered quickly.

"You'll still let me check won't you?"

"Sure once I'm done washing your hair." Toby said massaging Nico's scalp to make him relax again.

"I think you could be done now." Nico laughed. "Now you're just pampering me."

"And what's wrong with that?" Toby asked jokingly, "I'd say you deserve some pampering." Nico hummed noncommittally and leaned back against Toby sighing, Toby was always calmer when he got back from jobs, he even twitched a bit less. Nico didn't know why that was and he didn't think about it much. He and toby had a fairly functional 'don't ask don't tell' policy surrounding any of Toby's jobs that resulted in blood and Nico liked to keep it that way. He loved Toby, but that didn't mean he loved everything Toby did.

"Okay I think you're good." Toby said after a moment and Nico turned leaning back into the main stream of water to let it wash out the soapsuds. He looked up at Toby who was smiling down at him, Nico smiled back. He was still a bit self conscious about his height, even though the waters of Pyriphlegethon had kept him from actually dyeing of starvation in Tartarus they hadn't kept him from being malnourished and he was fairly sure it had stunted his growth. At first he had hated it but when he had found out that Toby liked being taller then Nico it had started growing on him.

"You're turn." Nico commented picking up the shampoo bottle from where Toby had put it down. "Don't forget to close your eyes." Sometimes Toby did forget and the soap got in his eyes, since Toby's body couldn't respond correctly the soap would have to be washed out and was generally a nuisance. Nico made sure toby's eyes were closed before he reached up to work the shampoo though Toby's hair. The bubbles turned a little bit pink from blood but Nico didn't feel any cuts on Toby's scalp when he ran his hands over it.

Nico's eyes roamed over the rest of Toby checking for cuts or any bruises that might be beginning to hint at damaged bones. Everything seemed to be fine.

"We might need to wash your hair twice, you got blood in it, the shampoo bubbles are pink. Don't you dare open your eyes to see." Nico warned and Toby made a whiny noise, Nico chuckled hoarsely. "I think you can wash the first batch out now anyway." Nico helped Toby switch places with him so he could lean back into the water, after another wash the bubbles stopped coming up pink and Nico only found a few bruises on Toby's arms and they weren't bad.

When they were clean they didn't get out right away, Nico was enjoying the warmth of both the water and Toby who had his arms wrapped around Nico from behind. He was leaning down kissing Nico's neck, Nico tilted his head to the side and back a bit resting it against Toby's shoulder giving him easier access. He had gotten the impression from other people that this was supposed to be arousing but he had always just found it relaxing and Toby knew that.

"You better stop soon or I might fall asleep standing." Nico mumbled his eyes sliding shut as he felt Toby's laugh against his neck and back.

"Then we'd better just go to bed huh?"

"Are you tired?"

"Not really but then I almost never am without your help."

"True." Nico purred softly, "Alright lets go. Even if you don't feel tired you've had a long day, I can tell by how tense your arms are that you've strained yourself."

"Oops." Toby chuckled as Nico turned off the shower, they stepped out of the shower and Nico ignored the obvious blood on Toby's clothes in favor of tossing Toby a towel and grabbing one to dry himself off with. They had both brought their pj's to the washroom and put them on. There was no one in the hall as they slipped out and up the hall to their bedroom.

It was officially theirs now, for a while they had had separate ones though they had never used both of them at once. After a while Slenderman had declared it ridiculous that there was always one room not being slept in and that they should just pick one and stick with it! So they had, they had picked Toby's original room since he had been staying in it for much longer and he had more things and it became their room. Their room, their bed, their dresser but still only Toby's comic books.

"What?" toby asked curiously when Nico laughed softly at the thought.

"Oh nothing." Nico replied as they slid under the warm blankets together. "Just thinking about something." Toby shrugged and pulled Nico tighter against him.

"Okay, whatever you say."


	12. Movie Night Heart to Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ProFanGirl: Could you do one about masky talking about growing up in the mental house, with nico

Nico glanced down at where Toby was asleep with his head on Nico’s lap. His legs were stretched out over Masky’s and Hoody, who was on Masky’s other side leaning against Masky just as fast asleep as Toby with Ira on his lap. Nico and Masky exchanged a look, it had been Toby who insisted they try to stay up all night watching movies, but since with Nico’s help he had achieved an almost normal sleep schedule he had fallen asleep at 12:30. Hoody had been asleep almost an hour before that, so now both Nico and Masky were awake and trapped by their respective sleeping boyfriends.

“Do we wake them up?” Nico asked Masky gently. As Hoody nuzzled closer to Masky, and Toby made a soft whimpering noise and hugged Nico’s leg they both knew they wouldn’t. 

“No.” Masky sighed. “They need to sleep.” Nico nodded and sighed leaning his head against the back of the couch and trying not to move his legs too much. “By the way Nico, I’ve been meaning to ask you. Why did you react the way you did the first time you realized me and Hoody were gay?” 

”I’d honestly never met anyone else who was before.” Nico shrugged. “Even though I don’t really remember it, I was still raised in a time when Hitler was doing his best to wipe out everyone who was gay. If you know anything about the second world war you'd know that Italy, where I lived, was allied with Germany. If as a kid I had even shown the slightest homosexual tendency both my mother and my sister would have jumped on me for my own safety.

Like I said, I don’t remember any of that but apparently the conditioning stuck with me anyway, it’s been really hard to break out of. For the entire time I’ve been in the ‘modern world’ I've operated under the assumption that it would never be accepted. So I would just have to never think or talk about it, and I’d be fine. Because of that I had never confronted it. Seeing you and Hoody together was the first time it occurred to me that I might actually have to face and deal with the sexuality I still thought of as dangerous and wrong.” 

“Wow that’s something.” Masky said staring at Nico wide eyed.

“What did you not have any trouble coming to terms with your sexuality?” Nico asked, more curious than anything.

“Not really.” Masky said shrugging. “I mean honestly I learned most of what I know from either nurses at the hospital or Hoody. The only thing the Operator taught me was how to kill, and everyone else wanted Tim not me.” Masky said with a one shoulder shrug so he wouldn’t disturb Hoody. “The nurses didn’t care because they were too busy trying to get me to stop biting people when I would wake up from Tim and had no idea where I was. Of course Hoody didn’t care if I was gay since he was the one I was gay for.” Masky smiled down at Hoody affectionately.

“That sounds tough.” Nico said staring at Masky in half awe. Masky shrugged again.

“It wasn’t as bad as all that, after about a year, once I figured out where I was and what was going on I calmed down a bit. Plus the hospital was never very good at hanging on to me, so I just ran out into the woods. They wouldn’t find me again until Tim took over again and got himself all lost and scared of the big, dark, woods.” Masky scowled and rolled his eyes. “He was always the weak one. That’s why he was the one they always wanted, they could mould and control him, and force pills into him like there was no tomorrow. I scared them; I could see what they couldn’t see, I fought them.

“I think it’s a song lyric. “If you can’ take the kid from the fight take the fight from the kid” Well they tried. It didn’t work. That’s why for a long time I loved the Operator, he made me strong, he made me wild and I loved it. It wasn’t 'til Tim got out of the hospital and we were free that I started to wonder about him. I think he made Hoody because he could sense my uncertainty.“ He ran his hand through Hoody’s hair gently. 

“Brian, who Hoody was made out of, was Tim’s best friend and since I was made from Tim I think the Operator picked him specifically. He erased Brian completely, we shaped Hoody together but the Operator miscalculated something. He didn’t expect Hoody to be smart. I was a body without a brain, he liked me that way, I was easier to command because I wasn’t smart enough to question. Hoody was and he started early. At first he was too nervous to share those concerns with me because he’s always been shy and at the time he knew I was devoted to the Operator.

“He waited until he was sure I was more devoted to him than the Operator, and then he told me. At first I didn’t want to believe him but I realized quickly he was right. At first we tried to fight the Operator ourselves, but we had already earned the distrust and hate of everyone else who knew about the Operator and Hoody’s strategies of psychological manipulation, and behind the scenes could only get us so far. When Hoody almost died I knew we had to get out of there because he’s the only thing I’ve ever had. It wasn’t long after that that Slenderman showed himself to us and promised to protect us from the Operator if we would serve him.

“We don’t know any other type of life anyway so we agreed.” Masky trailed off and shrugged. “He’s much nicer then the Operator. He seems to actually care about us, he’s never tried to fully control us and he treats us much better than the Operator did. Besides here we have more friends than we’ve ever had before in our lives! Probably more than Tim and Brian did too. So we stayed.” Masky stopped and thought for a moment. “Sorry that was a bit to much of a story, I guess I’m just tired and bored.” 

“No, it’s okay.” Nico said shaking his head. “Honestly it’s such a good story it’s hard to believe it’s your actual life.” Nico said trying to quell the awe he felt. That was the sort of story he would have loved as a kid.

“I know.” Masky said laughing. “You know some stuff about most of the creeps has made it’s way onto the internet. BEN polices them with some help from a few others like Sonic.exe and Jessica. They make sure the stories appear to be fiction, not reality and honestly with the type of lives most of us have had, that’s not hard.”

“No kidding.” Nico said chuckling. “Most humans are so unobservant and unwilling to see difference, I’m surprised they’ve even acknowledged you people as stories.”

“You don’t think that highly of humans, huh?” Masky asked eyeing Nico with interest.

“I’m fairly indifferent to them.” Nico said with a shrug. “I’m not a part of their world so it doesn’t matter. Most of them are scared of me and avoid me, that’s the way I like it. Until they're dead, they are not my problem and I don’t want to deal with them until then. I envy them their ignorance so if I ever sound angry at them that’s why.”

“Ya but you know they're really not that much better off than you.” Masky pointed out and Nico gave him a questioning look. “Well you have to deal with monsters all the time but so do humans. Think about it, us creeps are the monsters under their beds, under their closets and in the woods at night. At least you know your monsters exist, how to spot them and how to fight them. Humans won’t let themselves believe that we exist so when they actually find us, or we find them they have no idea what to do. They scream and run which does no good at all, but they do it because they never prepared themselves for us the way you prepare yourself from your monsters.”

“That’s a good point.” Nico said nodding slowly and staring forward, his eyes focusing as he thought, staring intently at nothing. “I had never thought of it that way.” Masky grinned triumphantly and nodded.

“Hoody’s wearing off on me, before you know it I’ll have a full blown mind of my own.” He said and laughed hard enough that both Hoody and Toby jerked awake. “Oh shit sorry.” Masky gasped covering his mouth.

“Come on Toby.” Nico murmured running his hands through Toby’s hair to calm him. “Let’s head to our actual bed now you’re obviously more tired than you thought.” Toby mumbled a soft protest but he let Nico pull him up. Behind them Nico caught a glimpse of Masky lifting Hoody into his arms to carry him up to bed as well. Nico smiled and Masky and he smiled back. Nico was glad he was starting to learn more about these people, they were expanding his world more than he had ever expected.


	13. Sister

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico summons Toby's sister so they can deal with some emotions.

“Are you sure you’re ready for this Vita Mia?” Nico asked sliding his hand down Toby’s arm and lacing their fingers together. “It can wait.”

“N-no.” Toby said shaking his head violently, his free hand still twitching in a spastically nervous way. “No now, if we d-don’t do it now I’ll nev-ver do it. I’m to… to scared. Ss-see I thought I’d d-d-ditched the stutter.” 

“It’s going to be okay Toby she just wants to talk, I didn’t feel any anger.” Nico tried to reassure but Toby just gave him a despairing look.

“What if sh-she’s d-d-disappointed? That would b-be even wo-worse!”

“Well let’s call her now okay? There’s no use agonizing about it right?” Nico asked giving Toby’s hand a gentle squeeze. Toby nodded but his eyes were glazed and his skin even paler then normal. Nico tried to let go of Toby’s hand but Toby’s hand was clenched and he wouldn’t let go. Nico shrugged, he could do the summoning one handed especially with a spirit that wanted to be called. “Remember you won’t be able to touch her only see no matter how solid she looks.” 

One Toby had nodded Nico spread his fingers out over the ground he searched for the spirit he had felt once before. He only head to brush it before it responded rushing from the underworld towards them. Nico fed her his energy until she was able to manifest.

Her blond her was pulled up in a ponytail, her green eyes were wet with unshed tears as she smiled at Toby. She didn’t look much like Toby but of course that didn’t mean anything.

“Hey there little brother.” She said softly. “I’ve missed you.” Toby didn’t answer right away he seemed to be in shock. Nico squeezed his hand gently to get him out of it. Toby glanced at Nico wide eyes and then back to his sister.

“I’ve m-missed you to b-but you’ve been in my d-d-dreams so often an my ha-hallucinations.” He seemed to shrink. Nico didn’t know why he sounded so ashamed.

“Toby I’ve become one of your nightmares?” She asked sounding sad, Toby nodded.

“After the car-c-crash. When I woke up and s-saw you b-b-body I j-just.” Lyra help up her hand and Toby stopped talking instantly.

“I always wanted to protect you from your nightmare. I’m sorry I became one of them.”

“NO!” Toby yelped making Nico start. “No I wanted to protect you but I couldn’t. I should have been the one who died.”

“Neither of us should have died.” She answered bluntly. “But I’m glad it was me. I never would have had the strength to save our mother the way you did. I probably would have just run away and then she would have been alone with him.” Toby seemed too shocked to answer. “Besides look at you now Toby! You have so many people who care about you. Now all that’s important is that you do what you think is right and you stay safe okay?” She asked seriously. Toby tried to speak but he chocked on a sob and just nodded.

“Nico?” she asked turning her attention to him. “Thank you for helping me speak to him. You’ll look after him won’t you? God knows he still needs at least some looking after.”

“Of course I will Lyra. I love him I’ll always do my best to look after him.” Nico said smiling at Toby who was now crying silently.

“I know you will you try to look after everyone.” She said laughing “But Toby you look after him to got it? He may be all important and powerful but I’ve heard enough to know that he never takes care of himself.” Nico was opening his mouth to object when Toby laughed cutting him off.

“Oh I kn-know too.” Toby said chuckling in a mildly hysterical manor. “Don’t worry we’ll look after each other but… you’re okay too right?”

“I’m great now Toby.” She said grinning broadly. “You should see the gardens in the underworld their paradise. I’m thinking about reincarnated though, I miss the opportunity and… change I guess?”

“Do what you want Lyra!” Toby agreed excitedly. “I want you to be happy you looked after me for so long I just want you to be happy now.”

“Thank you Toby.” She said and she and Toby smiled gently at each other for a minute until Nico sagged against Toby. “I need to go now don’t I?” She asked him worriedly.

“Soon.” Nico gasped. He was still recovering from the fight with the operator, burns still healing and his reserves of power still low.

“Don’t strain yourself Neeks, that’s the last thing either of us needs.” Toby said softly.

“It’s alright I’m ready t go back now.” Lyra said reassuringly. I think…. I think we’re both ready to move on now. Right?” 

“I think so but… I’ll never stop missing you Lyra. I know I never said it when you were alive because I thought it was weird but… I love you.”

“I love you too tic-tac. I’m sure we’ll see each other again.” 

“Good-d-d… Goodbye.” Toby had to stop to take a breath before he could get the word out but he did it.

“Goodbye Toby.” Lyra said softly and her spirit slipped out of Nico’s hold and back to the underworld. Time seemed to stand still for a minute then Toby hugged Nico tightly. One arm around his waist the other around his shoulders and his head on Nico’s shoulder.

“Thank you. Thank you.” Toby said and Nico could feel his shoulder dampening with Toby’s tears as he hugged back. “I love you. Thank you.” Nico just held Toby and let him cry stroking his hair as he slid into incoherent sobs. Crying out years of regret and fear he had been holding on to until now.


	14. Puppies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Requested by Rage Player: Mrs. O'Leary has puppies!

“Okay girl I’ll be back soon.” Toby said stroking Mrs. O’Leary’s fur once more before turning away, only to hear her heavy paw steps following him. Sighing he turned around again. “No girl, I know you get lonely with Nico away but you can’t come with me this time. Stay.” She sat down with a thump and whined unhappily. “Honestly Mrs. O’Leary, what are yo so sad about?” Toby asked turning to hug her, which he didn’t even have to bend down to do. “I know you like smile dog and Jeff spoils you! I can tell because you’ve been getting chubby.”

Mrs. O’Leary woofed and thumped the ground with her tail, licking Toby’s face. Toby laughed and reminded Mrs. O’Leary to stay before he ran off to join the other proxies. They would be away for just over two weeks this time but Toby didn’t worry, Mrs. O’Leary was loved by most of the creeps and they would look after her well. When Toby got back the first thing he noticed was that Jeff was looking a little guilty.

“What happened?” Toby snapped immediately.

“So you know how you thought that Mrs. O’Leary was just getting kinda chubby?” Jeff said fidgeting with his longish hair. “Apparently we were wrong so just… just come see.” Toby didn’t really understand what was going on but he followed Jeff to one of the backrooms.

When he went in Mrs O’Leary barked happily, her tail wagging franticly but she didn’t get up to run to him like she normally would have. It took Toby a long moment to realize why. It was the noise that tipped him off first, small high-pitched yips and whimpers. Then he noticed the small bundles of black and grey fur squirming at Mrs O’Leary’s side.

“Are those… puppies?” Toby asked blinking dumbly and crouching down for a better look.

“Yaaaaa.” Jeff drawled awkwardly. “Neither her or smile are fixed and I guess they were a bit… friendlier than we realized.” Toby shook his head and reached out to Mrs. O’Leary, petting her head for a moment before picking up one of the puppies. It grinned up at him with teeth like it’s father's, yipping as it squirmed. It’s fur was thick and black, and it’s eyes red like it’s mothers. When it was older it might be terrifying but for now it was warm and soft, it still couldn’t open it’s eyes fully and it whined to get back to it’s mother.

Toby put it back down at Mrs. O’Leary’s side where she started licking it proudly. Toby picked up a different one, this one's fur was mottled black and grey and it’s eyes were blue. It’s teeth were sharp like a regular dog and it could almost pass for normal. Toby shook his head and pulled the small bundle closer to him, laughing as it squirmed under his shirt to get closer to his body heat.

“What are we going to do with them?” Toby asked staring in awe at the three other puppies he hadn’t picked up yet. There were five in total.

“I don’t know man.” Jeff said shrugging. “Sal wants to keep one. Maybe mother M and her kids will take one. I guess we’ll have to find homes for the rest won’t we? We can’t keep them all.”

“Maybe Splender will take one?” Toby said forcing the one whimpering puppy out from under his shit. “This one looks like a pretty normal dog and with the size it’ll be it’d be perfect for him. Which one does Sal want?” 

“This one.” Jeff said picking up one with a black back, a light grey stomach and paws, and almost pink eyes. “She’s says she’s going to name it Cupcake, but I’ve been trying to talk her out of it. After all that is not a dignified name for the offspring of Smile Dog and a hell hound.” Toby laughed and put down the puppy he was holding picking up the black one with red eyes again.

“Well we can’t do anything with them yet, they’re too young.” Toby said, cradling the small thing carefully, letting it suck on his fingers like a pacifier.

“Only a couple of days.” Jeff agreed.

“And Nico should see them too. He’ll love them, especially this one I think.” Toby said laughing as the little creature snuggled up to him, happily gumming his finger.

“Ya.” Jeff agreed, smiling even wider down at Mrs. O’Leary who was panting happily and looking very proud of herself. “Still I found someone to neuter Smile Dog so it wouldn’t happen again. BEN’s taking him to his vet appointment now.”

“Poor smile just couldn’t keep it in his pants huh?” Toby laughed, laughing harder when Mrs. O’Leary whined at him. Hastily he put down the puppy who immediately went back to nuzzling Mrs. O’Learys chest, and went around to her head. “They’re beautiful girl.” He whispered to her scratching her chin fondly. “You should be proud.” And it was obvious that she was.


	15. Brian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> requested by summer164: Hoody waking up as Brian and how Masky deals with that. (they said everyone but it ended up being just Masky)

“Hoody look out!” Masky yelped. They were idiots! They had been sent to set a fire and then they had gotten themselves stuck. Masky pulled Hoody out of the way of the burning board that fell from the ceiling, and then rammed the door with his shoulder. It cracked but didn’t quite open, Masky pulled back and hit it again.

“Uh oh.” Hoody whispered it so quietly that Masky almost didn’t hear it. Masky swore and finally broke through the door on his third hit turning to pull Hoody through, only to see that he was a second too late. He watched as another board from the ceiling came detached and swung down, hitting Hoody so hard on the forehead it sent him flying back into Masky.

Swearing, Masky dragged Hoody out of the burning building with him, hoisting Hoody’s limp body over his shoulder and running with him. The cops would be here soon and this was the last place they wanted to be when they did. When he thought they were far enough away he laid Hoody down on the ground carefully and pulled off his mask. Hoody was breathing evenly, but his forehead was bleeding.

Quickly Masky reached into Hoody’s pocket for the first aid kit he knew Hoody always carried with him. Sure enough it was there, Masky pulled it out, and starting cleaning and bandaging the cut quickly. Masky could already tell that was going to bruise badly and he had no idea how to tell if there was any internal damage. Masky needed to get Hoody to E.J. fast. Maybe E.J. would know. Masky picked up Hoody again and jogged with him deeper into the woods until finally Slenderman appeared to him.

 _My child what has happened?_ Slenderman asked reaching his tentacles out to grip Hoody, gently easing him out of Masky’s grasp to cradle him.

“We got stuck in the building.” Masky explained breathlessly. “Part of the ceiling came down and hit Hoody, I looked after the cut, but head wounds..” Masky stuttered to a stop and Slenderman broadcast his confirmation of understanding before quickly slipping one tentacle around Masky's waist and transporting them back to the mansion. He took them directly into the infirmary making E.J. start, but he calmed immediately when Slenderman laid Hoody on the table and then vanished again.

“What happened?” E.J. asked slipping on a pair of medical gloves and jogging over to the table Hoody lay on.

“We got trapped in the building we were trying to burn and part of the ceiling caved in and hit Hoody.” Masky explained as calmly as he could while E.J. began his examination. His expressions were far from comforting as his frown got deeper and deeper as he continued.

“I’m not that good with head trauma.” E.J. sighed finally. “It isn’t one of my specialties. There doesn’t seem to be much inflammation. No sign of fluid build up yet and he’s still unconscious which he should be. These are all good signs and we should just leave him for now, you’ve cleaned and bandaged it quickly which was a good step, in all likelihood he just needs rest.

“However, I should warn you this is the sort of injury that can cause temporary memory loss. When he wakes up it might take him a while to recognize you. Be patient with him.”

“I always am.” Masky scowled at E.J. who shrugged and held up his hand apologetically.

“You can take him to your room if you like. It will probably do him good to wake up in a familiar place and I can look in on him there almost as easily. Just be careful of his head.” Masky nodded and picked up Hoody again, carefully making sure not to jar his neck or head. Masky looked after Hoody while he was unconscious for two more days. He woke up twice but E.J. decided he wasn’t ready yet and put him under again. On the fourth day E.J. finally decided Hoody was ready to wake up.

“I’m going to wait outside.” E.J. told Masky carefully. “Call me if anything happens that makes it seem like you need me, but I think you should be the first person he sees.” Masky nodded from his place sitting on the bed next to Hoody and E.J. slipped out. It was a few hours before Hoody woke up again, he just stared at the ceiling for almost ten minutes before his eyes focused on Masky.

“Hey.” Masky said, softly smiling down at Hoody. “How do you feel?” Hoody blinked at him for a moment then squinted.

“Tim?” He asked. Masky pushed down panic.

“No.” Masky said shaking his head. “I’m his other personality, you remember me too, right?”

“Ya.” Hoody or Brian croaked. “Where’s Tim?”

“He hasn’t been here for years. You’re Brian then?” Brian nodded staring at Masky in confusion. “You haven’t been here either.” Masky explained softly. “Not since… god, not since almost 2010, it’s 2015 now.”

“Then what…?” Brian asked and coughed. Masky passed Brain the glass of water that had been sitting on the bedside table. Brian drank it gratefully.

“You developed another personality too. I called him Hoody. With you and Tim gone, the two of us made a life together. A few days ago though Hoody got a pretty nasty hit on the head. I guess it brought you back.” Masky sighed looking away.

“You’re not happy about it.” Brian said, it wasn’t a question and Masky sighed.

“Hoody… means everything to me. I… what’s the last thing you remember?” Masky asked.

“Alex chased me into the woods and then that tall thing showed up and I blacked out.” Brian grumbled and Masky nodded.

“He erased your memories. Effectively erased you, me and the Operator rebuilt Hoody in your place. Before you accuse, it was not my idea. At the time I was still trying to defend Tim, and you were his best friend, I didn’t want you gone.”

“What’s changed?” Brian sighed.

“Tim tried to kill us. Not you, but me and him. I managed to push him down after the first cut and he just sort of gave up. He’s only been back once since then because Jay called us for help. Other than that, I don’t think he wants to live anymore.”

“I’ve been gone for five years?” Brian asked and Masky nodded. “That means I don’t really have anything to live for either. How is this Hoody’s life?”

“I think he’s happy.” Masky sighed. “Sometimes it’s hard to tell because he’s often scared, but I know he loves me and I love him and we have a family, a home.” He waved at their room. “You wouldn’t like our family, none of them are particularly human.”

“Tell me about them?” Brain asked looking at Masky pleadingly.

“Sally made me and Hoody a scrapbook last Christmas.” Masky conceded. “Let me help you sit up and I’ll show you the pictures.” Brian agreed. Masky helped him up, propping him up with pillows before going to get the scrapbook. Opening it to the first page with a picture of Masky and Hoody sitting together on the couch, Masky was shouting at the person holding the camera and Hoody was laughing at him.

“That was when Sal first decided she wanted to scrapbook. I didn’t want to be photographed at first, but I gave in eventually.” Masky said smiling. Brian made a humming noise and Masky flipped the page, the next picture was of them dancing at the annual creep gathering. They hadn’t even noticed when the picture was taken, too busy looking at each other, then one of them with Toby and Slenderman.

“Is that the Operator?” Brian asked pointing at the picture.

“No.” Masky said shaking his head. “Ghost helped us kill the operator for good. That’s Slenderman, he’s a much better boss, me and Hoody have been working for him for about three years now. That’s Toby, he’s the other proxy. Kinda like our annoying little brother, though since he and Ghost started dating he’s been doing better.”

“Ghost?” Brian asked and Masky flipped far ahead to a picture in which all four of them were wearing their masks. They had been standing around after Nico helped them get away after a job as he shouted at them about not being careful enough.

“That’s ghost, The Ghost King.” Masky said, pointing Nico in the picture. “He’s not a proxy but since he’s dating Toby he works with us from time to time. We nearly got hurt that time and he had to help us escape, he was mad about it because we scared him.”

“So you have… fiends?” Brian asked softly.

“I know.” Masky laughed. “Tim never made friends because he was scared me or the Operator would hurt them. Now that I’m in control and the Operator is gone we can have all the friends we want. Not really humans though, both me and Hoody are too deep into this world and humans don’t last here. Hang on.” Quickly Masky flipped to the back of the scrapbook where there was a large photo of almost all of the creeps that covered two pages.

“Almost all of these people are our friends. I know they don’t look like people but they are, just not the human kind of people you’re used to.” Masky said smiling fondly down at the picture. “There we are there.” He said pointing to where he and Hoody had been standing at Slenderman’s feet, Toby was up sitting on his shoulders. “That was at one of the reunions, we all get together twice a year just to reestablish ties for those who haven’t seen each other in a while.” That’s the little photographer there.” Masky said pointing out Sally in the front. “That’s Sally, she made the scrapbook for us and took most of the other pictures.”

“I’m sorry.” Brain whispered and Masky looked up at him in surprise. “I don’t know why I came back but... I don’t want to be here this is too much for me. I don’t know how to handle this.” Brian curled in on himself and Masky realized that he was crying and he wasn’t sure when he had started. Awkwardly he put an arm around Brian letting him cry.

“Everyone’s dead aren’t they?” Brian sobbed and Masky nodded awkwardly.

“Tim killed Alex, the Operator killed Jessica and Amy, and recently Toby killed Jay for pointing a gun at Ghost. It was too late for all of them anyway, the Operator's sickness was corrupting them all.”

“Then what reason do I have to be here?” Brian asked. Masky didn’t answer, Hoody had plenty of reasons, but for Brian, Masky couldn’t think of one. Brian cried until he fell asleep, or passed out. Masky stayed still with his arms around the other man. Even after both Brian and Masky’s arms were asleep he didn’t move, finally he dozed off too. He was awoken hours later by Brian stirring. He stretched slightly and winced, opening his eyes and looking up at Masky.

“Good morning Masky. Why d-does my head hurt so m-much?” Brian didn’t stutter, Masky grinned down at Hoody.

“Good morning, Hoody. You just hit your head, don’t worry about it you’re going to be fine now.” Hoody shrugged and snuggled against Masky. It seemed that whatever switch had flipped in Hoody’s head had settled back down again. That was for the best, Brian obviously hadn’t wanted to stay anyway.


	16. Ira's Gone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Requested by Demigod of Nature: The creeps reaction when Ira fell apart.

Toby couldn’t say that his life flashed before his eyes when he heard the sudden clatter of bones and turned to see Ira had fallen to pieces across the floor. It was only the months he had spent with Nico that flashed before his eyes lingering on the last memory he had. Nico had been saying goodbye and Sally had been pouting up a storm.

“How will we know you’re okay?” She had asked lifting her arm to be picked up. Nico had laughed and lifted Sally, settling her slightly on his hip and letting her wrap her arms and legs around him.

“Just remember that Ira is kept ‘alive’ by my powers so there’s always a connection between us, as long as Ira’s fine, I’m fine.” Nico has assured combing a tangle out of Sally’s hair with his fingers.

‘As long as Ira’s fine, I’m fine.’ And now Ira had fallen to pieces. There was complete stillness in the living room where most of the creeps had been gathered. It was broken finally when Sally burst into tears. She clung to Hoody who hugged her back dazedly.

BEN was the next to recover, sending a shockwave of electricity out throughout the house. The bulb in the ceiling burst and all the electronics in the room crackled and died. Probably the rest of the house too.

“Gad damn it!” BEN yelled. “The oculus consoles we ordered were supposed to come in next week! Who’s going to play them with me now!? None of you bastards care!” It was then that what had happened hit Toby. ‘None of you bastards care’ no one had cared about him the way Nico had, he doubted anyone ever would again. He hadn’t even noticed until then. The silence in the room had extended to his own head but now the voices returned full force.

They were screaming at him now, worse than they had before he had killed his father. His legs buckled and he fell to the floor to stunned to cry.

_You should have saved him._

_You shouldn’t have let him go._

_You left him alone._

_You loved him and you lost him. Who will ever love you again?_

_Your father was right you’re a failure you couldn’t save your sister you couldn’t save him._

_The people around you die just to get away from you._

Toby didn’t notice when Masky rushed to him and knelt down next to him, grabbing his wrists to stop him biting himself or pulling out his hair. E.J. was there too helping to restrain him but Toby couldn’t feel it. His world had been reduced to the voices in his head and memories that he could never fully trust.

Toby didn’t know how long it was, maybe days, before Slenderman's presence drew him out of his own mind.

_Oh my child._ The familiar voice cut through unlike the ones normally in his head. Toby latched onto it and followed it out, finding himself cradled gently in Slendermans tentacles. Toby grabbed onto Slenderman's suit crying heavily into his chest as Slenderman made a humming sound that had become comforting to Toby, helping to drown out all the other voices. _I am sorry._

“Give me something to do.” Toby half begged and he could sense Slenderman's confusion immediately. “Please! T-tell me what to d-do I need a purpose I need a reason to be here when h-he’s n-not.” Toby sobbed again but it seemed to clear up Slenderman's confusion.

_Very well my child if it will help you._ He conceded _BEN has been tracking multiple reports of people who were reported dead being sighted again. I believe we should send them back to the lands of death where they belong. Will the help you?_

“Yes.” Toby hiccupped doing his best to stop the flow of tears, though it wasn’t working at all. “That would help Nico.” Slenderman bowed his head in assent and held Toby for a little longer letting him cry. Time meant nothing to him. Toby knew it didn’t matter if he spent a couple of hours comforting his believed proxy, it was nothing but a blip in Slenderman's long life. Even though Toby knew it meant little to Slenderman, it meant the world to him. As long as Slenderman still had use for him Toby thought he would be able to live even if without Nico he didn’t really want to.


	17. Technical Help

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Requested by elegaicsongstress: something with BEN and Slenderman.

_Benjamin I require help! Please come up to the library!_ BEN sighed, the speakers of the computer he was currently inhabiting giving out a burst of static. Since he had managed to proof the technology in the house from Slenderman’s corruptive affects he hadn’t left BEN alone about teaching him how to use a computer. BEN couldn’t see why, Slenderman had his proxies to do tech thing for him. Some of them were really good with technology so what did Slenderman want to go on the computer for? To play candy crush on facebook?

BEN chuckled to himself and flowed through the electrical cords that spanned the mansion and stopped inside the camera he had installed in the library as a door for himself. As he had suspected Slenderman was folded into a large chair in front of the computer there. Hoody was half asleep in a chair nearby, obviously he had been trying to help before and given up. BEN sighed again, this was gonna suck.

 _“What do you need old man?”_ BEN asked grumpily speeding into the running computer in front of Slenderman. The internet was open but to BEN’s horror it was internet explorer. He closed it immediately. That damned browser even made him lag a little bit. Not much of course, BEN was an almost perfect virus, but even though he would never admit it there was still an almost there.

B _enjamin I believe I need the internet! I wish to watch those ‘youtube’ series humans have been making about me!_ Slenderman snapped. BEN grumbled a few profanities silently, them running across the screen in the form of his own unreadable code. Then he switched back to English and projected his voice out of the speakers so that Slenderman could hear.

_“Okay old man but you don’t need internet explorer! That’s a browser not the internet itself! Use Firefox or Chrome! I downloaded them both.”_

_But neither of those say internet._ Slenderman said stubbornly trying to move the mouse to click on internet explore again. BEN stopped him by taking over the mouse so that he could save Slenderman from himself.

“ _Ya that’s because they’re not the internet itself they’re ways of accessing the internet. The internet is a series of electronic wavelengths and it comes from satellites in orbit around earth to everywhere on earth. That’s why I can get to any computer now without needing to be hooked up with wires. Internet explorer is another way of accessing the internet but the slowest one and it glitches and freezes constantly. That messes with my processes.” BEN explained with forced patience, opening Chrome for Slenderman. “See we’re still on the internet now and this one is Chrome.”_

 _Fine._ Slenderman said sounding sulky but he sat back and let BEN take complete control of the computer and it’s attachments.

 _“Okay next you said you wanted to go to youtube to watch the shows about yourself? That’s really vain dude.”_ Ben commented while putting in the youtube address and waited for it to load. Despite his best efforts the internet out in the middle of nowhere like this was never good.

 _My vanity is none of your affair Benjamin. In the past I was worshiped of course I have become slightly vain._ Slenderman snapped. Hoody jerked awake at the sound. Looked around and then put his head back down on the table when he saw nothing was wrong.

_“Hey dude no problem I’m pretty vain too. Sometimes I used to read the stories people on the internet write about me but some of them are too weird even for me. The ones about you are even weirder steer clear of those. Don’t worry the youtube series are fine though. Is there one you wanted to watch first?”_

_I believe Hoody directed me towards one called Caught Not Sleeping. He says it’s false but very intriguing and that way I will not be watching something I already lived._

_“Makes sense to me.”_ BEN hummed quickly sorting through the links that came up when he searched CaughtNotSleeping. _“Here we go Caught Not Sleeping seems to involve more than just youtube. I’ve found a twitter and a tumblr. Don’t worry I know those mean nothing to you but I found a compilation here so I don’t have to teach you how to use them!”_

 _That sounds perfect Benjamin!_ Slenderman said enthusiastically as BEN set the compilation playlist to autoplay. BEN stayed inside the computer for a little while watching the show from the inside and observing the effects in code the videos made. They were a little different from the ones actually messed with by Slenderman and it was interesting for a while.

After a little bit BEN decided that he should offer to help Slenderman sometime. This seemed similar to the way Slenderman usually worked according to the other real shows he had watched, and it seemed like just BEN’s kind of game. Then he stepped out into the library instead of just going back through the wires to his own room. Looking around he noticed Hoody now fast asleep using his arms as a pillow.

“Just click when you want to stop watching. I’ll turn off the computer.” Ben said going to lean on the table next to Hoody, who looked up groggily.

 _Alright Benjamin._ Slenderman agreed passively already engrossed in the show. BEN sighed he might have been able to half teach Slenderman how to use a computer, but he would never be able to convince him that BEN wasn’t short for anything. He jabbed Hoody’s side to get him to wake up again and gestured towards the door. Hoody got up silently and followed BEN out of the room.

“Your bed will be more comfortable than the table dude.” BEN said sarcastically once they had left the room shooing Hoody towards the stairs. “What did you even do anyway? That wasn’t so hard.” BEN asked and Hoody gave him a disparaging look.

“I t-taught him how to t-turn it on.” Hoody said. Before he was finished speaking BEN was laughing. He doubled over laughing and Hoody waited patiently watching BEN passively.

“Poor you ending up with him as a boss.” BEN chuckled wiping some of the blood away from his eyes. Hoody just shrugged and yawned and BEN noticed the bags under his eyes. “You didn’t sleep last night huh?” Hoody shook his head. “Okay let’s get you to bed and I’ll go bully Masky into being your teddy bear if you want you big baby.” Hoody elbowed BEN in annoyance but didn’t argue.

“Next time he needs help with something like that, you get me ya?” BEN instructed Hoody. “I get along well with the old man and it goes faster with someone who can stand up to him. Ya ya, I know why you can’t don’t worry.” BEN said waving away Hoody’s complaint before he could voice it. “Don’t blow a gasket Hoodster.”

BEN saw Hoody to his room and then went to find Maksy, sending him up too. He looked just as tired as Hoody anyway. They must have worked last night. Once that was done BEN stood in the hall for a minute, arms crossed and foot tapping, trying to figure out what to do with himself now. He could always find some human to mess with, or bully Jeff or Toby into playing video games but… that show Slender had been watching had looked kind of cool.

Justifying to himself that he might get some ideas from it BEN leapt back into the wiring in the walls and was back in the library computer in less than a second. This time BEN didn’t bother using the speakers to project his voice, he would have had to speak over the character dialog and sound effects. Instead he opened a small text box on the screen.

**MIND IF I WATCH WITH YOU OLD MAN?**

_Not at all Benjamin it is quite an enjoyable show so far though you may be irritated with how much reading is involved._

**COME ON OLD MAN I’M NOT THAT UNEDUCATED.** BEN huffed then let it go, making a comfortable nest for himself in the electricity inside the computer. Since he was watching it from the inside the image was flipped backwards, he couldn’t flip the screen because it would make it harder for Slenderman to watch so instead he flipped his own vision. It was a useful trick he had gotten very good at. He then shut down a few of his extra processes making himself as human as he could to enjoy the show with his old man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is an introduction to a new concept here, I have older one shots that I shuld have done before this BUT Songstress agreed to do this as a writing exchange so I did this one first. From now on any one shots requested as art exchanges (any kind of art, whatever you have a talent for) will have priority. 


	18. This is our Funhouse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Requested by my beloved editor Salukinut on tumblr: Nico and some of the creeps taking over a haunted house.
> 
> I had a lot of fun writing this so I hope y'all have fun reading it.

“Well, this haunted house sucks.” Nico said glaring at another obviously fake skeleton that had just popped out at him. Toby had dragged him to another theme park with another crappy haunted house. “Just look the proportions are all wrong! The bones are too flat and... is it tinted green!?” Nico asked in disgust.

“Haha Ya.” Toby laughed nervously before another monstrous roar came through the speakers making him yelp and grab Nico’s arm tightly. Nico couldn’t help laughing. For someone who had horror stories written about him, Toby was sure jumpy.

“You live with ghosts and monsters, remember?” Nico chuckled looping an arm casually around Toby’s waist. “Hey you know what would be really fun?” Toby looked at Nico questioningly in the dim light. Nico gave one of his smiles that he knew was damn creepy, like he was about to eat someone. “Let’s take over the place. Just knock out the human operators and I can summon some real skeletons and zombies! We can call up Sally and L.J. for some jump scares, you know they’d love it!”

“Are you sure?” Toby asked uncertainly.

“Ya. You know that L.J. and Sally are both capable of having fun without killing anyone, and this would be just their idea of fun!”

“You’re right.” Toby relented staring at the small blinking light that indicated a camera in the corner. “Ya you’re right!” He said smiling and grinning too. “I’ll make a pretty good jump scare too if I do say so myself, especially without my mask or bandage. I’ll call them and maybe BEN too! Let’s got out of here so I’ll be able to hear them over the cheesy scare track.”

“The cheesy scare track that still got you.” Nico teased playfully pushing Toby in front of him gently. Toby laughed good-naturedly.

Minutes later they were outside and Toby had walked a little ways away from Nico to use his phone. Gesturing wildly as he talked enthusiastically as if whoever was on the other end could see him. After a couple of minutes he exclaimed “Great!” turned around, and skipped back to Nico excitedly.

“BEN loves the idea! He’s just going to collect Sally and L.J. and then they’ll be here!” He yipped happily bouncing on the balls of his feet.

“Perfect!” Nico said, he was beginning to get excited too. He could almost feel himself vibrating with all his ideas to scare the mortals. “By the way, about how you said you’d make a good jump scare without your mask?” Toby nodded tilting his head questioningly. “I think when you first show up to the humans you should be wearing it, and then once you’re visible you should take it off and do that thing where you let your tongue hang out if it.”

“You’re right that would be even creepier!” Toby said after he thought about if for a couple seconds. “And then I’ll be much harder to brush off as fake!”

“Exactly!” Nico agreed enthusiastically and then in a crackle of static BEN, Sally, and L.J. were there. “Oh good! BEN, will you help me knock out the people who are working at the haunted house right now? There are no actors so it’ll be at most two operators and a couple guards.”

“Sure thing dude.” BEN said handing Nico one of the earpieces he sometimes used to communicate when in virus form. “Come on.” BEN said and sprinted as a streak of electricity into one of the external cameras, using it to access the system, and then opening the door for Nico. They left Toby to discuss scare ideas enthusiastically with Sally and L.J. who seemed to have plenty of ideas of their own.

Nico carefully put the earpiece in before he snuck into the building. He silently sprinted up to two people who were sitting in front of a whole bunch of black and white security camera footage. Carefully he touched them both at the same time, taking their energy in an instant, so they collapsed into their chairs. It would be at least four hours before they woke up.

_“The operators are out too.”_ BEN reported through the earpiece. “ _God this system is awful man! It’s all motion activated jump scares! We’ll be doing them a favor by taking this over. They'll be famous by the time we’re done with this. Not that it’ll ever live up to that fame again.”_ BEN and Nico laughed together and then Nico ran out of the building again, beckoning to the others before vanishing back inside. They followed quickly closing the door.

_“Hey look, this place even has a carnival area!”_ Ben commented now on a speaker in the control room, highlighting a themed room on the security footage. _“L.J. you should head straight there I’d say!”_

“Sounds good to me captain!” L.J. laughed saluting before vanishing. Nico saw him appear on the appropriate screen and start looking around curiously before stroking his chin, obviously deciding how he could work it to the best effect.”

“What about me?” Sally asked hugging her bear.

_“There doesn’t seem to be a themed room for you sweetie.”_ BEN admitted. _“But that means you can pick where you can go! Look at all of the places on the screen. Which one do you want to scare people in?”_

“I know where I’m going so I’m going to go there now!” Toby said as Sally considered and Nico tracked his progress through the haunted house on the camera. Toby reached a part of the haunted house where a rudimentary animatronic had dropped from the ceiling in a net. The animatronic didn’t do much but twitch in a really unbelievable way. As Toby looked around finding the ladder used by maintenance people to access the dummy Nico smiled. Toby would make a much better scare there.

“I know where I’m going to go!” Sally said and vanished. Nico watched for her on screen and saw her appear in a shallow pit there had been some fake bones. The pit had been designed to open when the patron was a couple steps away, making the illusion that they had been in danger of falling. Now it would open to a bloody ghost girl trying to climb out that the humans would have to run past. Nico laughed in delight.

_“I assume you want me to shut down all the motion sensor jump scares besides the ones those two are using?”_ BEN asked Nico back to the earpiece.

“Yes I’ll get much better skeletons and zombies to take their place.” Nico agreed turning from the monitors, opening a fissure on the floor easily, and calling as many and as recent dead as he could. Rotting ones were always scarier than clean bones. Once Nico thought he had enough he started sending them out to take the place of all of the bad fake props. Once all of those were in place they were ready.

_“The creepypasta haunted house is open for business!”_ BEN laughed into Nico’s earpiece. Nico saw the front door open, ushering in a new group of human thrill seekers. _“Let’s fix this this sound track too. God knows I have enough tracks of human REALLY screaming!”_ BEN said and in an instant the track changed. Nico could see it was already disconcerting the humans, but he had spent enough time in the fields of punishment to ignore it.

“Is there a PA system?” Nico asked BEN.

_“Yep that green glowy button to your left.”_ BEN answered, he was obviously distracted. Nico glanced at the screen just in time to make one of his skeletons jump out at the tour group screaming before tumbling apart, the bones rolling off into different areas making it obvious there weren’t strings. When someone tried to step on a femur he sighed and made it roll out of the way. He saw the way that made the human yelp and laughed.

“Ladies, Gentleman, and mortals of the modern age. Even though I must admit the dead have no… fondness for you, it doesn't give you any right to disrespect them! After all you could join them at any minute, so you want to make a good first impression right?" Nico asked and then gave one of his most chilling laughs, he had been practicing it after all. He caught Toby grinning at him through the camera nearest to him, so he supposed he had done well.

_“You dramatic asshole.”_ BEN laughed through the earpiece.

“Well it worked.” Nico pointed out, waving at the screen where they could see the group huddled close together, making their way carefully down the hall. They faced a few of BEN’s edited robotic jump-scares and one of Nico’s zombies, which chased them down the hall stopping only when they reached the trigger area for Sally’s chosen pit. At that point BEN finally managed to connect speakers in the control booth so that the scream the humans let out when the floor in front of them played, making Nico laugh.

Sally started crawling out of the pit making noises like choked crying. Three of the humans rushed by like they were supposed to, but one stayed behind. He seemed to be curious and not very scared. When Sally reached the rim of the pit he tried to push her back. When his hands went right through her he laughed.

“It’s a hologram guys!” He laughed and the others turned a he ran his hand through Sally again. They started to relax but then she screamed and flew at the human, pushing him roughly to the ground and hovering above him.

“Worms will feast on your flesh as they did on mine!” She screeched and then swooped down on him. He yelped and scrambled away, running down the hall after his fleeing companions. Sally didn’t bother chasing them, they were headed right towards L.J.. As soon as they reached the carnival room L.J. started showing his signs. Colourful windmills spun wildly and L.J.’s laugh like sharpening knives rang out through the room.

“Welcome kiddies to Laughing Jack's fun land!” He exclaimed appearing in front of them with arms wide and a large grin on his face showing every one of his serrated edge teeth. “Of course I’ll be the only one having fun.” He said reaching for the nearest human with his knife sharp hands. She stayed frozen in fear for a moment as he caressed her face, showing how sharp his fingers really were before she screamed and ducked under his arm running for the exit. The others followed her. “Wait, at least take some candy with you I promise it’s the highest quality poison!” L.J. laughed throwing a handful of candy after them hard enough that Nico knew it must have stung when it hit the ones in the back.

Toby was the last stop after a few more skeletons and a room that BEN had taken over glitching the animatronics in some of the creepiest ways Nico had ever seen.

“Good job BEN that’s cool.” Nico exclaimed appreciatively.

_“You ain’t seen nothing yet!”_ BEN exclaimed immodestly and Nico laughed watching as the humans approached Toby’s net.

When they were close enough the net fell jolting Toby with it. They screamed when it fell and stared up as Toby twitched violently for a minute. Probably triggered by the drop. Then his rolling eyes landed on the humans and he stared at them, reaching up to his mask slowly. They seemed mesmerized and watched as Toby slid down his mask, exposing the gaping whole in his cheek. He opened his mouth slightly and his tongue came lolling out of the hole. One of the men screamed and bolted. Toby struggled out of the net, landing catlike on his feet and drawing one of his hatchets, chasing the humans down the last hall and until they were out the back door.

“That was amazing guys!” Nico cheered pushing the PA button. “Did you have fun?” All three of them gave thumbs up to the camera. “Great then let’s reset and let the next group in. Let’s see if we can scare this one even more than the last!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Over the next little while I'll be cutting back on all of my writing because University is taking a lot of my attention. I'll update whenever I can but that might be less often. Besides I'm getting a little discouraged because it feels like people are loosing interest, maybe I'm just beating a dead horse now by continuing this crossover.


	19. I'm Gay?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nico telling the rest of the Demigods he's gay requested by EnderWolf47 on fanfiction, Rjanew on AO3 and my editor Salukinut on tumblr.

Nico took a deep breath. Piper and Reyna had finally convinced him it was time he should let the rest of his… friends know he was gay. They had decided together that it would be better if he could come out to all of them at once rather then having to do it over and over again, like ripping of a bandage. At the time he had though it was a great idea but now that Reyna and Piper had gone to collect Annabeth, Percy, Leo, Frank, Will and most importantly Hazel he was less sure. If it wasn’t for Toby’s arms around his waist Nico would have been pacing and working himself up into a panic. 

“Is this really a good idea?” He asked half frantic. “Maybe we should just leave again.”

“No.” Toby said immediately. “They’re your friends you’ll feel better once you’ve been honest with them.” Nico gave a strangled laugh. He really doubted it at this point, he had been imagining the worst possible outcomes this entire time. A positive outcome didn’t seem possible to him just then. Toby sighed breathily behind him then made a small hiccupping sound as he twitched. “Just hang in there it will be over soon.” 

Finally Reyna came in followed by Hazel and Frank, Toby let go of Nico and retreated to one corner of the Hades cabin where they were gathering to hang out. Or at least that’s what Reyna had told them, just a little reunion of those who had been on the quest. She walked up to Nico and gave him a hug, he excepted affection from her now so he hugged back. She smiled at him encouragingly. They sat around chatting until Piper arrived with Percy, Annabeth and Leo. Jason was in tow as well for moral support more then anything since he already knew. 

“I think Nico has something to tell us.” Piper said after a couple minutes. Her voice was quite but layered with charm speak and everyone shut up and looked at Nico. “Go on Nico. It’ll be okay.” Nico could feel her charm speak suppressing his own feeling but for once he was glad of it, he needed her help to go through with this. 

“I’m gay?” Nico said trying to sound confidant but it came out like a question for some reason. There was a stunned silence for a moment. Will was first to react grinning widely and laughing, Nico stared at him in shock.

“That’s great! I am too I just never thought you…” Will trailed of smiling at Nico in a way Nico didn’t quite understand. 

“Just because he’s gay doesn’t mean he’s available to you Pretty boy.” Toby growled suddenly stepping up beside Nico and putting a arm around Nico’s shoulder protectively, or maybe possessively. It took Nico a moment to catch up and realize that the smile had been flirtatious.

“Oh.” He said suddenly as understanding hit and then he half laughed turning to rest his right hand against Toby’s chest gently. “Honestly Toby we’ve been together for almost a year now I would think you should be a little more self-assure.” Toby looked down at Nico and shrugged awkwardly.

“Him?” Will asked raising his eyebrows and shock. Nico scowled at Will and was about to snap something back when Percy cut him off.

“I kinda agree.” Percy said uncomfortably. “You being gay is fine Neeks but are you sure about him? I mean he’s a murderer right? That can’t be a healthy relationship.” Nico stared at Percy in shock for a moment but then his expression hardened to stone.

“I’ve questioned my taste before too, though less because of Toby and more because before him I has a crush on you.“ A heavy silence fell for a minute and was broken when Toby started laughing. Rena joined in quickly.

“Wow Nico that come back was amazing!” She said and high fived him. Nico was to surprised to object but after that things started moving again. Piper hugged him and told him she was proud of him for going through with it. Everyone seemed to settled down though Will still kept shooting glares at Toby when he thought Nico and Toby weren’t looking. 

“Nico.” A small hand rested on Nico’s arm and he looked over to see Hazel smiling at him uncertainly. “Can we go for a walk?” She asked tentatively and he agreed right away. Carefully they both extracted themselves from their friend. Leaving them to stay in the Hades cabin and get on with a game of truth or dare they had started. 

Once they were outside they headed towards the forest. It was dark but that didn’t bother children of Hades and Pluto. The security harpies were off duty just then and didn’t come into the woods either way, they would be safe. They didn’t talk until they were among the trees knowing that the nymphs slept with the sun and wouldn’t be listening in.

“That’s why Piper had a talk with me about the attitude about homosexuals while we were on the Argo II isn’t it?” 

“Yes.” Nico admitted. “Cupid made e admit it in order to get the staff so Jason knew and of course even though he promised not to tell anyone whatever he knows Piper knows. Besides she noticed how close me and Toby were almost immediately.”

“I managed to thin you two were just very close friends.” Hazel sighed.

“We are that too.” Nico pointed out. “I mean Frank s your best friend as well is your boyfriend isn’t he?” Hazel nodded. “So are you going to be… okay with this?” Nico asked softly.

“You’re my only brother Nico.” Hazel said smiling at him a little sadly. “My only family. It will take me a while to… adjust but I’ll get there. I know that if the time period we grew up in didn’t change… this I certainly can’t and I won’t try. It’s just… So much has changed since we were kids. This is going to take a while to understand, like everything else.” 

“I understand.” Nico agreed softly. “I had a really hard time with it to and of course I had a lot of personal incentive to work it out. Masky and Hoody helped me a lot since they’ve been together for about eight years now. And of course Toby.” He couldn’t help the small smile.

“Are you really sure about him Nico?” Hazel asked carefully. “I trust your judgment and I know he makes you happy but it’s just hard to imagine someone who has such a violent relationship with most people being able to have a healthy relationship with you.” 

“I’m sure about him.” Nico said without hesitation. “Don’t worry about it Hazel. He would never hurt me and even if he tried I wouldn’t let him. I am more powerful then him after all.” 

“Okay.” Hazel said nodding, appeased “But it is still my right as a sister to watch him closely and threaten him about hurting you!” She added grinning awkwardly. Nico laughed.

“It’s your right.” He agreed happily. “Gods know I’ve already done it to Frank and he’s just a teddy bear.” Hazel nodded in satisfaction and started to lead the way back to the Hades cabin. Now that this was over Toby had been right, Nico did feel better. Things were going to be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is unedited because Salukinut and my emails are being idiotic and refusing to send things back an forth. We gave up so enjoy the mistakes in this. :P


	20. Leaving the Operator

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Requested by sironagoddessofhealing on tumblr: How Masky and Hoody ended up with Slenderman instead of the Operator.

Masky was struggling to breath but he couldn’t stop now. Hoody was already half unconscious against his side as Masky half lead half dragged him through the underbrush. Why had Tim ever started smoking!? With the Operators sickness they already had enough trouble with their lungs and Tim just had to add years of smoke, tar and god only knew what else to that.

It occurred to Masky that maybe Tim had done that on purpose to minimize the damage Masky could do but he pushed down the thought. Now was not the time to be questioning his other personalities motives. Right now he just needed to get Hoody and himself away from the Operator before he could find some other way to hurt them or make them hurt themselves. Hoody’s leg still wasn’t healed from having fallen out the window

Even more recently they had lost each other for a while. Tim had taken over so Masky didn’t know what had happened but he knew that when he had found Hoody again his head was bleeding sluggishly and he was having trouble moving on his own.

That pretty much brought them to where they were now. Stumbling through Rosswood trying to find their way back to Tim’s car so they could drive as far away from this occurred wood as possible. Hopefully far enough away that, as long as they kept moving, the Operator could never find them or use them again. The Operator had a new favourit toy now after all. He was just refused to let them go on a principle, the kindergarten rule, “If I had it it’s mine.”

Masky struggled up a hill, when he reached the top there was a burst of static and the Operator was there. Masky snarled at him wordlessly, he was too animalistic to form words just then even if he had wanted to. Talking wasn’t something that came naturally to him anyway. Tim was the talker, Masky just fought but just now he was to weak to even do that. As the familiar feeling of sickness, anger and dread washed over him he collapsed, he couldn’t remember the last time he had had a chance to take his meds and all his safeguards were gone.

It took Masky a long moment to realize that nothing was happening and another to realize that the feeling of the Operator emitted was coming from behind him not in front of him where he could see a tall being. With difficulty Masky turned and look behind him. At the bottom of the hill the Operator stood, the same as he ever looked. He was radiating anger and hostility towards the other creature on the top of the hill, Masky wasn’t sure if this was a good thing.

Now that he knew that the creature on top of the hill was not the Operator it was easy to tell the difference between them, the one on the top of the hill was a bit taller and Masky wasn’t sure how he had missed the tentacles earlier. The two creatures seemed to be having a standoff, staring at each other over the space with their blank faces, he and hoody were trapped in the middle.

“Oh g-god not m-more of th-them.” Hoody whimpered trying to push himself up to his hands and knees and only managing to sit up. That seemed to bring the creatures attention to them. Masky could feel the pull of the Operator strengthening, commanding him to come but Masky shook his head violently and tried to ignore it. Next to him Hoody gave a quite whine and curled in on himself. Masky’s instinct was to get between Hoody and the danger but h wasn’t sure if the grater danger was in front of behind.

 _“I am not ‘another one’ children.”_ It took Masky a moment to realize that the voice was inside his head. The Operator never actually spoke to them, only directed their actions. His head snapped around to look at the creature with the tentacles at the exact same time as Hoody’s. _“I am known as Slenderman. I am something very different then… That.”_ They could here disgust in Slenderman’s mental voice as he seemed to glare at the Operator and it made Masky chuckle slightly.

“Then what is he doing here.” Hoody whispered shifting closer to Masky so he could speak to Masky alone.

“What are you doing here then?” Masky asked relating Hoody’s question.

 _“I wish to offer you my protection from that.”_ Slenderman stated gesturing at the Operator with one of his tentacles. Masky shivered as a stronger wave of control surged from the Operator.

“What’s in it for him?” Hoody whispered.

“What’s in it for you?” Masky repeated out loud warily.

 _“Like the Operator I require humans to act out my will in the world. However unlike them I understand that my proxies are useful to me and I must look after them in exchange. If you come with me you will have a proper home, safety and the opportunity for friends and family if you wish them.”_ Slenderman explained patiently, he didn’t seem to be in any hurry.

“ _FIND YOOUR OOWN HUMANS._ ” Masky felt the Operators words force their way out of his own throat and ducked his head growling softly. Slenderman seemed taken aback but he seemed to understand what had happened. Never the less he answered as if it had been Masky who really spoke.

_“Humans rarely survive the process of becoming a proxy of mine. I believe in the past few years only one out of six who began the process have survived to the end of it and though Kate is a very hard worker it is not fair to expect her to do everything I require. Since you two are already accustomed to the Operator I am certain that you will be able to survive becoming my proxies. That is why I wish to have you, it is my understanding that you are already to heavily infected with the disease that creature carries to return to the human world anyway.”_

Masky didn’t really like the sound of that but he was not the brain of this operation and never had been. He looked at Hoody to make this choice as he always had sinse he started questioning the Operator. Hoody was thinking so Masky sat perfectly still and quite giving him time.

“Slenderman is right.” Hoody finally murmured. “We need his protection, I’m sure he’s the only thing keeping the Operator back now. The second he leaves the Operator will be on us and neither of us have the strength to run from him now. It may be out of the frying pan and into the fire as we will still be proxies and Slenderman admits it will be dangerous but we wouldn’t be able to survive much longer with the Operator either. Besides I can’t remember the last time we had a home.”

“Okay.” Masky answered and took a deep breath. “We except your offer and conditions Slenderman.” Masky stated sounding more sure then he felt himself but he did trust Hoody to choose what was best for them.

Slenderman inclined his head towards them and reached out two of his tentacles to them. Masky resisted to urge the run when one of them started to curl around his waist but the urge to run lessoned when he saw how carefully Slenderman lifted Hoody, making sure not to jar Hoody’s injured leg. There was a burst of static and then the feeling of the Operator faded, for the first time in a long time Masky felt safe. Masky wasn’t sure where they were but at that moment he didn’t care he was just happy to be free of the demon that had been tormenting and controlling him since he was seven.


	21. To Make You Happy (NSFW)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amelia requested: Masky x Hoody nsfw?

“Hoody?” Masky asked. He was laying on the ground, his head in Hoody’s lap. Hoody had been staring blankly up at the sky for at least twenty minutes now. Masky didn’t know how long before that because he had dozed off.

“Hmmm?” Hoody asked without looking down.

“What’s the matter?” Masky asked. Hoody had been out of it for almost two weeks now. It was almost like back at the very beginning when Hoody had little mind of his own. Now Masky new perfectly well that Hoody had more mind then most people but it was elsewhere.

“No.” Hoody sighed. Masky couldn’t be sure if Hoody hadn’t heard the question or if he was saying he didn’t want to talk.

“Hoody, talk to me.” Masky said softly nuzzling against Hoody’s stomach. Hoody gasped slightly and finally looked down at Masky. “You’ve been out of it for weeks.” Masky hummed and sat up slightly. Leaning against Hoody’s chest he wrapped one arm around Hoody’s waist to pull them taught together.

“It’s that new boy slender brought back. Toby.” Hoody admitted. Masky growled softly. He didn’t like Toby, he and Hoody had been doing fine on their own. They worked together well, like clockwork they new each others actions, they moved as one. Together they could get done the work of five others but then Toby had been thrown in. He disrupted their balance, with him there they got less done.

“I don’t like him either.” Masky agreed.

“No that’s not it…” Hoody countered looking back up at the sky. His attention had left Masky again, he wouldn’t answer any verbal cues. Masky tilted his head and started kissing Hoody’s neck, nipping the skin lightly making him gasp and shudder. He moaned softly, his hands finding their way into Masky’s hair, good his attention was back on Masky now. “We need to make the most of him. He’s staying now we need to… find the way he works with us.”

“That’s what you’ve been trying to figure out?” Masky asked running his hands up under Hoody’s sweater.

“Yes.” Hoody sighed. Masky didn’t like that. He didn’t like anyone else distracting Hoody from him. Their attention was always on each other, that was the way it should be. Now Hoody was thinking to hard about Toby to pay attention to him.  
“Well stop thinking so hard.” Masky grumbled grabbing Hoody’s thighs and pulling him down so he way laying under Masky.

“I can’t stop on my own.” Hoody pointed out, if he was startled by the sudden action he didn’t show it. He smiled up at Masky and wrapped his arms around Masky’s shoulders. “Are you going to help make me?”

Masky grinned back down at Hoody then kissed him. Hoody arched under him pressing their chests together. Masky ground their hips together and Hoody moaned into the kiss. Masky broke the kiss and went back to hoody’s neck bite down hard and sucking. Hoody whimpered and squirmed his delicate fingers sliding up under Maky’s jacket and dancing over his chest.

Masky shuddered, that felt good. He had never been one for sex, he never sought it out but he knew Hoody liked it and was to shy to start it, so these encounters had become more and more frequent. Masky enjoyed making Hoody feel good because he loved Hoody. Besides it felt nice for him too.

Masky leaned on one elbow and reached down with his free hand rubbing Hoody through his jeans. Hoody moaned and bucked his hips up into Masky’s hand. Masky laughed giving the bulge in Hoody’s pants a gentle squeeze before letting go. He pushed Hoody’s sweater up and moved down kissing and biting Hoody’s chest and stomach. He basked in the small yips and mewls Hoody gave.

He grabbed Hoody’s hips to keep him still because he could seem to stop squirming. With teasing slowness Masky undid Hoody’s belt and pushed his pants down over his hips. He chuckled at the way Hoody’s erection sprung free. He glanced up to see Hoody watching him closely before Hoody blushed brightly and covered his face with his hands.

Masky nipped the skin over Hoody’s hipbone and Hoody yelped, pelvis thrusting up slightly. Masky loved teasing Hoody and he couldn’t remember a single time Hoody had been bold enough to tell him to stop. It was simply a matter of how long it was before Masky decided to take pity on him. Now he started kissing the inside of Hoody’s thighs, Hoody gave a small pitiful keening noise.

Masky knew what Hoody wanted so he licked up the length of Hoody’s member. Hoody let out a deep groan and Masky took the head of Hoody’s cock into his mouth letting Hoody thrust up. Masky felt Hoody’s fingers running though his hair and glanced up. Hoody’s eyes were closed now but Masky new his attention was entirely here, entirely on Masky and what he was doing. Masky took as much of Hoody’s member into his mouth as he could and then started bobbing his head sucking lightly.

“Masky.” Hoody moaned softly and Masky hummed happily, he could feel Hoody shudder from the vibration.

“C-can we… will you…?” Hoody stuttered and then gave up. Most of the time he was comfortable enough with Masky not to stutter but in situations like this he was still shy. It didn’t matter though, they knew each other well enough for Masky to be able to interpret Hoody’s meaning correctly. With that in mind he pulled back long enough to coat his fingers in saliva then slowly slid them into Hoody who gasped and squirmed a little gripping Masky’s shoulders.

“This is what you wanted?” Masky asked, Hoody whimpered and nodded. They hadn’t exactly brought any lube out here so Masky was careful about stretching Hoody till Hoody’s whimpers transferred from ones of pleasure to protest. Then Masky pushed down his own pants one handed and removed his fingers. He lined his own erection up with Hoody’s entrance and rested his forehead against Hoody’s before pushing inside slowly.

Hoody gasped wrapping his legs around Masky’s hips, encouraging him. Hoody’s satisfied groan nearly swallowed Masky’s low moan. Masky stilled, waiting until Hoody rocked his hips up against Masky’s before he started to move, thrusting slowly and smoothly.

Hoody kissed Masky deeply, Masky kissed back and twisted his fingers into Hoody’s hair pulling it gently. Hoody’s moan encouraged him to pull harder, he had learned quickly that Hoody was not apposed to pain, he had yet to find his limit. Not that he had tried overly. But now that knowledge encouraged him to thrust harder and faster into Hoody even though he was still tight.

Hoody yelped and moaned, digging his nails into Masky’s shoulders but Masky far from minded. He gave a low growl and bit Hoody’s lip hard enough to draw blood which he then licked off.

“Masky.” Hoody moaned breaking the kiss. Masky groaned softly, he liked it when Hoody said his name that way, Hoody knew it. Now Hoody was kissing and sucking on Masky’s neck making him shudder. Hoody didn’t bite, he knew better then that, Masky’s neck was to sensitive for that. This was more then enough, almost to much.  
Masky felt himself getting over stimulated so he pulled Hoody away from his neck by tugging his hair again. Masky captured Hoody’s lips in another kiss to stop him from doing that again. Hoody’s ass was tightening even more, Masky could tell he was getting close to the edge. Masky was to for all his mind was still fairly clear.

He focused on Hoody’s face, he was flushed, his lips parted, slack with pleasure. Masky ran his fingertips over Hoody’s lower lip then caught Hoody gazing at him. Hoody gave a small smile that was half flirtatious half teasing, that smile always brought up memories Masky didn’t quite have. He pushed them down again, they were Tim’s memories of Brian, nothing to do with him or Hoody.

Hoody came first, arms and legs tightening around Masky as he gave a low, long keen of pleasure. Masky thrust a few more times and then he was coming as well shuddering and letting out a low groan.

Once they were both finished they sorted out their clothes and lay down next to each other. Hoody rested his head on Masky’s shoulder. Now they looked up at the sky together watching the clouds scuttle by threw a gap in the leaves. They were deep enough in the woods that no human sounds reached them besides the sounds of the other heart beat and breathing. Masky was more content then he had been in weeks and he could tell Hoody was too. Even though he wasn’t that in to sex it was more then worth it to make Hoody happy.


	22. We're Going to be Okay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I wanted to do some aftermath of NatC for the characters besides Nico and Toby. :P There maybe one for Alex coming.

Masky paced. He was alone in a corner of Slenderman's woods. He would stay alone too, for the forest had started to shape itself to his desires since he had become Slenderman's proxy. Now it would keep anyone but Slenderman away from him because he needed to sleep.

Thinking was not his strong suit, never had been, which was why this was taking so long. It didn’t help that he had been trying to quit smoking so his head was pounding and he felt sick. He was quitting smoking for Hoody, because he had been careless and let Tim take over and scared Hoody half to death.

Quitting smoking was how Hoody had told Masky he could make it up but it didn’t seem to be working. It wasn’t that Hoody was mad at him, he wasn’t, he had been nothing but supportive of Masky while he tried to quit but that didn’t mean that something wasn’t wrong.

For a long time, as long as Hoody had suffered from anxiety, it was part of the reason he was so quiet and spent so much time hiding. Masky had been the only one Hoody could talk to and be comfortable with, even recently when Hoody had started managing to talk to a few of the other friends Slenderman collected, he still stuttered. Masky was still the only one Hoody felt safe with but now…

For the first time ever Hoody had stuttered while talking to Masky alone. Masky had done his best not to react or make a deal about it because that would just make Hoody more nervous. But it meant that Hoody didn’t feel completely safe with Masky anymore.

If Masky’s mistake had cost Hoody his only safe place Masky would never forgive himself. He stopped pacing and crouched growling softly and running his hands through his hair. What could he do? He couldn’t go back and time and fix this no matter how much he wanted to. He could promise it would ever happen again but he had promised that before, that promise had lost its validity, and with that, it’s value. 

But he had to do something. He had to. Hoody was his world, he couldn't live if Hoody was scared of him. The problem was that Hoody was also the better part of his mind. Masky wasn’t very smart, most of the things he did and said were things that Hoody had told him to. But he couldn’t ask Hoody what to do now because Hoody would just insist that he was fine, even though he obviously wasn’t.

He couldn’t fix this, he knew he couldn’t, but he needed to get close to Hoody again. How? Masky had never been very romantic, not purposefully at least but maybe now would be a good time to start. But what? Not chocolates. Those were stupid and shallow and Hoody didn’t even like chocolates!

What? Movies? No Hoody didn’t like those cinemas, staying still for hours and being surrounded by strangers in the dark. Masky knew Hoody better then he knew himself, he should be able to figure out immediately what Hoody would want but this damn headache!

Then he had it. He sprung up from his crouch and sprinted off to put his new plan into action.

The next day Masky walked down a path in the woods with Hoody. Thy hadn’t just gone for a walk in a while and it was one of Hoody’s favourite things to do. Masky didn’t completely understand the appeal of wandering quietly and purposelessly around the forest, but Hoody liked it, and he would do anything to make Hoody happy.

Masky held Hoody’s hand. Hoody was smiling softly up into the trees watching the birds that flitted around above them. He didn’t pay attention to where they were going but that worked well for Masky because it meant he could steer them both in the right direction. 

“Hoody?” Masky asked. They had been comfortably quite for most of the walk, Hoody seemed surprised by Masky’s voice.

“Y-yes.” Hoody said. Masky felt the stutter like a knife in his chest. Instead of saying anything Masky pointed to send Hoody’s attention in the right direction instead of up where it usually went. Hoody’s eyes widened when he spotted the blanket and basket Masky had left there so they could have a picnic. Hoody looked back at Masky and pointed at him questioningly. “Ya I did it, I thought we could have a picnic.” 

Hoody smiled happily and followed Masky. The both settled on the blanket and Masky opened the basket handing Hoody a tuna salad sandwich, it was his favorite, Masky hated fish. Masky had packed BLTs for himself. Hoody leaned on Masky’s shoulder as they ate. Masky wrapped his arm around Hoody’s waist.

“Why?” Hoody asked softly once he was done eating. “You d-don’t usually do things like this.”

“I broke a promise.” Masky said softly. “I know you’re not mad but I also know it made you feel less safe. And I just… want to make it up to you. I was clumsy and I hurt you and you’re the only one I never want to hurt.” Hoody tapped the side of Masky’s jaw farthest away from him lightly. Masky knew what that sign meant and turned his head to kiss Hoody gently. 

“I love you.” Masky murmured after their lips finally parted. “More than anything, more than the world.”

“I love you too.” Hoody murmured resting his hand gently on Masky’s chest.

“Oh one more thing.” Masky reached back into the basket and handed him a bag of cinnamon hard candies. Masky had gone to a few different places yesterday looking for them. At valentines Hoody always stocked up on cinnamon hearts because he loved them but he it had only taken him a few months to eat them all this year. These weren’t cinnamon hearts but they were close. He handed the bag of candy to Hoody whose eyes widened. He grinned and hugged Masky tightly.

“Thank you.” He exclaimed happily. “So that’s where you were all day yesterday.” Masky grinned, there was no stutter there.

“Yep. I knew they’d be hard to find. Sorry I disappeared on you like that, I wanted to surprise you.” Masky agreed.

“Don’t worry.” Hoody said softly, running one hand through Masky’s hair gently. “I appreciate it.”

“We’re going to be okay?” Masky asked softly. Hoody smiled at him and kissed him gently.

“We’re going to be okay.” Hoody said. “I’m glad you’re still you.”


	23. Fear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Request by xxghostqueensagexx: CERRI I /N E E D/ SOME EJ X BEN FLUFF PLS I BECAME ADDICTED TO THE SHIP A FEW MONTHS AGO PLSPLSPLS

“ _So there are human’s outside the house._ ” Ben piped through the intercoms as casually as he could. “ _The lambs are here for slaughter._ ”

“Ben such dramatics!” E.J. laughed teasingly. The first to get his communicator on, of course he was. He had started carrying it in his pocket so they could chat whenever they wanted.

“ _Yep._ ” Ben chirped not bothering to deny it, he had gone passed the point of plausible deniability ages ago when it came to being dramatic. He watched E.J. open the window in his room and step out onto the porch roof. It was a story jump to the ground from there, no problem for E.J. so he used it as a short cut all the time. Not that Ben was paying attention to E.J. all the time.

E.J was the first one down, confronting the group of humans. Ben rushed through the wiring in the house reminding everyone else that there was a threat. The proxies were on their way, that was good. Jeff wouldn’t get out of bed, the asshole, and L.J. and Sally were gone. It was starting to look like Ben was going to have to get involved in this no matter how much he didn’t want to.

Giving a sigh that came out of speakers as a burst of static, Ben forced himself out of one of the exterior cameras, falling lightly to the ground beside E.J.. E.J. glanced at him then looked back at the humans. He was ready to fight, but the humans hadn’t attacked yet apparently. Apparently Ben was their queue because now they attacked.

E.J. dodged as one of the humans leveled a gun at him. Ben shouted to draw their attention and sure enough it worked. The human shot him instead and of course, because Ben was already dead and just a manifestation of electricity and data, the bullet went right through him. Ben laughed and grabbed ahold of a human that tried to get past him into the house. He sent a current of electricity through the human's veins, cackling at the way it made the man convulse and sizzle. When he was sure the heart had stopped he dropped the body, leaving it to continue twitching even after death as the electricity stimulated muscles.

Ben glanced over to where E.J. was fighting. Blood was spilled on the ground. Ben quickly looked away again once he was reasonably sure none of it was E.J.’s. He felt something in his gut and looked down curiously to see that someone had stabbed him.

“Oh would you look at that.” Ben cackled quoting the movie Sal had been obsessed with recently. “I’ve been impaled.” He was about to use the metal in the knife to conduct electricity into the human when something else happened first.

A loud sound rang through the air and the human’s head exploded, sending droplets of blood splattering over the nearby ground and Ben. Ben’s yelp was thankfully covered by the screams of protest from the human's companions. Ben watched wide eyed as the body seemed to suddenly realize it didn’t have half of it’s head and collapsed. Blood started to pour out, forming a pool around the corpse which Ben stumbled away from.

The proxies were here now. Masky was fighting next to E.J., Hoody was picking them off with his gun from a distance. It had been Hoody who had shot the woman, who had stabbed Ben of course. They had things under control now.

“Ben-?” E.J. asked and Ben was suddenly snapped out of his half trance. He wondered how long he had just been standing there.

“Seems like you guys have got things under control so bye!” Ben said doing his best to sound snarky then rushed back into the circuits of the house. Masky’s curses followed him so he thought he had done a good job. Immediately he rushed back to his computer, his safe space, the place he had complete control. Everything here was the way he wanted it. He stayed there secure amongst familiar streams of data, he decided to program a new game to pass the time. He hardly noticed when someone came into his room and sat down at the desk his computer sat on.

“What was that about?” E.J. asked and Ben squawked in surprise. He turned on the webcam so he could see who was in front of the computer and relaxed a little when he saw if was E.J.. Not Masky here to lecture him.

“ _When the proxies showed up it looked like you had everything under control that’s all._ ” Ben lied easily, his robotic voice betraying no emotion, or at least so he thought, but E.J. didn’t look convinced.

“Are you sure?” E.J. asked frowning a little. “It seemed like something freaked you out. You can talk to me about whatever it is you know.”

“ _I know._ ” Ben said but an edge of uncertainty crept into his voice, even through the speakers.

“Are you embarrassed?” E.J. asked his frown deepening again.

“ _No!.... Actually yes. I’m worried that the others will make fun of me, especially Jeff._ ” Ben admitted.

“You don’t like blood do you?” E.J. asked and Ben balked. “I’ve noticed that. That’s why you always drive people insane instead of actually killing them, and if you do kill them you electrocute them. No blood.”

“ _Yes._ ” Ben admitted with a sigh. “ _I don’t like blood. You’d think I’d get used to it because it’s always leaking out of my eyes but… I don’t know it must have something to do with something that happened when I was kid. I was still a kid when I died, I was probably freaked out by all kinds of stupid things._ ”

“Will you come out here?” E.J. asked and Ben sighed again. He wanted to stay in here where everything was safe but slipped out of the computer. He landed close to E.J. and went to step away but instead E.J. pulled him into a hug. Ben was about to tease him for it, but E.J's next whispered words stopped him. “You’ve met with a terrible fate haven’t you?” E.J. asked softly and Ben froze.

“Ha I guess maybe I have. Maybe I did.” Ben half whimpered and hugged E.J. back. He was getting blood on E.J’s shoulder from his eyes but E.J. didn’t seem to mind. Ben could pretend that was the only reason E.J.’s sweater was dampening. He didn’t even know why he was feeling anything this strongly, emotions that had long since lost their cause in corruption of data and memory.

“I won’t tell the others. We’re all scared of something even if we won’t admit it.” E.J. promised stroking Ben’s hair.

“What are you afraid of?” Ben asked softly. It only seemed fair that he know, now that E.J. knew what he was scared of.

“I’m scared of not being able to find things when I need them.” E.J. said promptly and then started to expand. “I can’t see well, everyone knows that. If a thing isn’t where I usually put it takes me a long time to find it, even if it’s in plain view for anyone else I won’t be able to see it. The creeps that can die rely on me to keep them alive. I’m scared that some day I’ll be needed and I won’t be able to find what I need to save them.”

“That’s why everything in your hospital area has its exact place.” Ben realized, suddenly feeling very guilty about that one time he had pulled a prank on E.J. and rearranged his workstation.

“Yes, exactly.” E.J. agreed.

“I’m sorry I rearranged it that one time.” Ben said suddenly. “I won’t do it again.” To his surprise E.J. laughed.

“I’m not angry about that, until you mentioned it just now I had forgot about it.” E.J. chuckled and Ben found himself joining in.

“You promise you won’t tell the other creeps?” Ben asked softly. “I mean what self respecting murderer is afraid of blood?”

“Of course I won’t.” E.J. promised.

“I’ll tell Jeff to stop messing with your stuff. If he doesn’t listen to me I can help you put them back. My visions fine after all.” Ben offered blushing a little. He wouldn’t thank E.J. explicitly for coming to comfort him, but he hoped that E.J. would interpret this offer as Ben’s thanks.

“I would appreciate that, Ben.” E.J. said pulling back and smiling at Ben warmly. Ben smiled back and hoped that E.J. wouldn’t notice his slight blush. He wasn’t sure whether E.J. had or not, he just ruffled Ben’s hair and left the room to continue his day. Ben slipped back into the computer, but he also flicked through a few camera watching as E.J. walked back to his surgery. He noticed that when he was there he slid the communicator back on so that Ben could talk to him if he wanted. If Ben had had a face just then, he would have smiled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there probably won't be much more of this mentioned because my versions of E.J. and Ben are both ace, Ben is actively sex repulsed because as a machine he just doesn't get it. So this is a one off, I hope you like it. (If you do like it let me know, they're asexual not aromantic and I can do more stuff along this line)


	24. Shopping

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beiley requested: Maybe, as stated in your other story, Toby should keep his word and drag Nico shopping, he said Nico may be fun to shop for

“Nico?” Toby asked. He was sitting on the floor in front of Nico’s chair and leaning back against Nico’s legs. Nico had been absentmindedly running his fingers through Toby’s hair and half dozing. He had yet to completely recover from the Gaian war and was still almost always tired.

“Hmm?” He questioned contentedly, absently braiding a small patch of hair near the back of Toby’s head.

“We should go shopping.” Toby suggested softly. “Months ago before we even got together I think I mentioned I’d like to shop for you, but it’s been go go go and we never got a chance.”

Nico blinked. He had completely forgotten about that too, but Toby was right, now that he mentioned it Nico could remember that. He still didn’t have that many clothes, at least not that many he would wear now. It wasn’t that long ago that he had started wearing exclusively black and he didn’t have that much black. Not to mention that most of his clothes had been bought for him when he was nine and were to small now, though not as much as Nico would have liked.

“You’re right. We should.” Nico agreed. Toby bounced to his feet immediately. Leaving the few small braids Nico had made in, he helped Nico up instead. Nico’s bones had been sore and cold recently. He felt more like the age it said on his birth certificate than he would have liked, but E.J. said it was just the affects of overworking himself and they would fade soon. Will agreed too, so Nico was inclined to believe them. “I don’t know any shop though. I’m assuming the ones that were around when I was a kid are closed.”

“Ya almost definitely.” Toby laughed. “Don’t worry though I know what I’m doing. We’ll find you some cool clothes. I’ll just bully someone into driving us into town.”

“Don’t worry about I’ll just call Jules-Albert. He’s a zombie, but my father gave him to me so he doesn’t take any of my power and the mist hides him from mortals. He can drive.”

“The zombie can drive?” Toby repeated raising his eyebrows.

“Ya he was a cab driver when he was alive. That’s why dad gave him to me. It’s not as if Hades can take time out of his day to drive me places but he got the impression it had to be done somehow.” Nico explained as they headed to the garage to borrow a car. Nico went outside to call Jules so he wouldn't have to break the floor to rise, then they piled in a car and got going. Toby panicked a little at first but then he calmed down enough to give Jules directions. He was getting better with cars. 

The first stop was a place called Hot Topic where Nico managed to find a few shirts he liked, but mostly just got frustrated that everything had prints on them. Toby laughed at him when he started grumbling that ‘back in his day not everything had to be so flashy’. He ended up getting one shirt with a Nightmare before Christmas design, one that said ‘Normal people scare me’, one that said ‘why are you still talking’ and one with some grumpy cat face and the word ‘No’ because Toby threw it at him saying ‘you’. Mostly the trip just consisted of Nico pointing at patterns on shirts and asking Toby what they were and what they meant. But Toby had fun too, it was worth it.

After that they just went to a mall which was much more productive because Nico was able to find plainer clothes which were more his style. Sure he likes skulls, but he’d much rather wear plain black any day. Though he did end up getting a chain belt and some necklaces because Toby thought they would look cool on him and Nico didn’t feel like arguing. He needed a belt anyway and he already wore a ring all the time. 

While they were at the mall Toby insisted Nico get a ‘booster juice’ thing because Nico sill had weight to get back. After that Nico was tired and done shopping. Toby would have kept going since they didn’t really have that much stuff but he could see that Nico needed a break.

“Should we go home?” Toby asked Nico, wrapping his arm protectively around Nico's waist so he could lean against him. Which Nico did, even though public affection still made him just a little uncomfortable.

“Soon.” Nico said feeling a little guilty. Recently he hadn’t been able to keep up with Toby and he felt pretty bad about it.

“Okay.” Toby said reassuringly. “There’s one more place I wanted to take you though. It’s not in the mall but this town has a pretty cool antique store and I thought you might like to check it out since you complain about modern things sometimes.” 

“I don’t do it that much, do I?” Nico asked letting Toby steer him towards the exit.

“Nahhh but it’s funny when you do.” Toby said.

“Oh okay.” Nico said shrugging. “All those old people who talk about how much better it was back in their day are lying though. It sucked, it’s better now.” Nco rambled as they found the car.

“Okay grandpa, get in the automobile.” Toby teased.

“I called them automobiles one time .” Nico grumbled getting into the car. “And only because I was talking to Hazel and that’s what she calls them.” Toby laughed and leaned forward to give Jules -who had been waiting in the car- directions to the next location.

Toby bounced in his seat shaking the car a little as they drove and Nico chuckled at him a bit. They chatted as they drove, catching up on what Toby had been up to while Nico was in Tartarus. Nico hardly noticed when they pulled up in front of the antique shop until Jules pointed it out.

“Oops, thanks Jules.” Nico said and they got out of the car heading into the antique shop. Toby said hello to the shopkeeper as Nico wandered deeper into the shop as he looked at some of the things. He paused to pick up an old hairbrush when Toby walked up to him.

“My mom had one like this.” Nico said chuckling, then put it back down and kept looking around. He was drawn to the section of toys because, of course, those were the things he had been really paying attention to in the 1940s. His eye was caught by a wooden puppet.

“That’s kind of a creepy thing isn’t it?” Toby chuckled following Nico’s eyes.

“It looks really familiar.” Nico said cocking his head to the side and picking up the toy.

“Be careful with that.” The store owner called. Nico ignored him.

“I think I had one like this.” Nico said absently weighing it in his hands. “I lost it when we moved to America…. My mom… my mom put our names on all our toys to try and stop that but I still managed…. Actually.” Nico said and pulled the puppet's blue shirt up just a little and blinked when he saw the remnants of his own name in pen.

“Holy shit it actually was yours?” Toby said leaning over.

“I guess it was.” Nico said laughing. “That is so funny! I can’t believe it still exists. Wow.” 

“Do you want it back?’ Toby asked, resting his hand on Nico’s lower back.

“I don’t think so.” Nico said putting the toy back. “Someone else will appreciate it more than me now. Obviously I didn’t know how to look after it in the first place.”   
“Good point.” Toby chuckled. “Besides I don’t want that in our room, it’s weird looking.” He said, making Nico laugh.


	25. A New and Unwanted Brother

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> rjanew requested: Toby first meeting Masky and Hoody. 
> 
> This is probably more depressing then you though it would be but Toby was traumatized. he didn't recover until months later.

_“Proxies come to me please.”_

Both Masks and Hoody’s heads snapped up in unison as they heard Slenderman’s voice in their heads. He left them to their own devices for the most part which they appreciated. He was much more lenient with them than the Operator had been, but they weren’t about to test his patience. They put aside what they were doing and ran out to meet him, Hoody reached him first and skidded to a halt in front of him, he had always been the faster of the two of them, though Masky was the stronger.

Hoody didn’t ask what Slenderman needed, the question went without saying and Hoody left most things unsaid anyway. When Masky reached them he spotted someone standing half behind Slenderman’s legs.

 _“Look after him.”_ Slenderman ordered pushing the person out from behind his legs with one tentacle. _“If he lives he will be your fellow proxy.”_

Masky could see why there was an if to the boy surviving. He was much younger than him and Hoody, and suffering from severe burns by the look of it. His hands were bandaged already and there was a bleeding from a large gash in his cheek. The bandages on his hands and his sleeves were soaked with blood as well. Hoody walked forward and put his arm around the boy and lead him towards the house silently. The boy followed dazed. Masky nodded confirmation to Slenderman before following them at a distance, his hands shoved in his pockets.

Hoody lead the boy to bathroom and Masky brought a chair and pushed the boy down into it. The boy flinched but stayed where he was put, letting Masky start unwrapping the bandages around his hands so they could see the damage. The boy's hands were covered in half healed bite marks from human teeth.

“Get everything in the freezer you can find we need to stop those burns getting worse.” Hoody whispered to Masky who nodded and ducked out.

“Name?” Hoody asked the boy.

“Toby.” He answered dully.

“Who’s blood?”

“My father's.”

“Shirt off.”

Hoody was mildly concerned with how willing Toby was to follow orders. He didn’t ask any questions, just pulled his shirt over his head, and tossed it on the ground. It was full of charred holes anyway. Without the shirt Hoody could see that it was Toby’s entire body that was burned.

“Pain?” Hoody asked.

“I can’t feel.” Toby answered.

“No wonder the boss wants him.” Masky commented walking back into the room his arms full of ice packs and bags of frozen peas. Toby watched dully as Hoody and Masky applied the cold packs to the worst of the burns.

“Hold.” Hoody ordered when it became clear that they wouldn’t be able to keep all the ice packs. Toby grabbed two of the cold packs to keep them in place. He hadn’t met either of their eyes, or even looked directly at them yet. Besides occasional twitches he couldn’t seem to help, he hadn’t moved without being directed.

“What’s the matter with him?” Masky asked loudly enough for Toby to hear even though he didn’t react.

“Shock.” Hoody said shooting Masky a slightly warning glance that only made Masky scowl deeper. Hoody found some bandages and manage to tie a couple of the cold packs on so he could look at the gash in Toby’s face.

“What happened?” Hoody asked as he tried to clean the blood away.

“Bit it probably.” Toby answered and both Hoody and Masky glanced at the bite marks on Toby’s hands.

“O-okay.” Hoody stuttered, still Toby didn’t look at either of them.

“If he needs to be cooled off maybe a cold shower would help?” Masky suggested. He could feel heat coming from the skin not covered with icepacks and that worried him.

“Good idea.” Hoody agreed and went to turn on the shower, adjusting the temperature to the right one before pulling the curtain and giving Masky the signal to speak for them.. Toby kept staring at the floor

“You undress and get in. We’ll give you some privacy. Just stay in till we call and tell you to get out.” Masky said and Toby nodded already starting to undress the rest of the way as Hoody and Masky left. Masky noticed that Hoody was chewing his lip nervously.

“Is he going to be okay?” Masky asked.

“I don’t know.” Hoody said. “He might survive the burns but shock can be deadly too and the treatments are different. You have to cool people down for burns and warm them up for shock. We’re treating the burns now but it might make him die of shock.”

“If he dies it’s not our fault.” Masky said crossing his arms and leaning against the wall. “I don’t know why Slender wants another proxy, the two of us and Kate are enough.” Hoody shot Masky a reproachful look which stung, Masky didn’t understand how Hoody could still have so much regard for other people's lives.

They left Toby in the shower for roughly twenty minutes. Every five Masky called in to make sure Toby was okay, each time he answered yes, so at least they knew he was conscious. Though Hoody was worried about Toby’s inability to feel meant he might be accidentally getting frostbite or something. Masky was getting annoyed with Hoody worrying about someone other than him, that was new and he didn’t like it.

“Okay you can get out of the shower now.” Masky called. “Just wrap a towel around your waist or something.” The shower didn’t turn off and after a couple minutes Masky yelled. “Are you out can we come in.” He sounded angry and he knew it.

“Yes.” Toby called this time his voice sounded a little strained. Different than the monotone it had been. Masky slammed open the door and saw Toby flinch away falling against the wall and curling in on himself.

“Stop that.” Masky snapped and Toby stood up almost right away but he was shaking hard, his eyes squeezed tightly shut. Masky watched incredulously as Toby raised one of his hands to his mouth and bit so hard he broke the skin.

“Masky go.” Hoody snapped suddenly.

“wha-“ Masky asked hurt.

“You’re scaring him!” Hoody snapped and slipped past Masky. “It’s going t-to be okay T-Toby. Stop b-biting yourself it’s g-going to be oh-okay.” Hoody promised easing Toby’s hand away from his mouth. Toby whimpered but he seemed too scared to argue or resist. “You’re s-safe here.”

“Not safe anywhere.” Toby whimpered shrinking as much as he could as Hoody lead him back the chair and pushed him gently into it. “Not safe in my head.” Toby hissed. Hoody pushed his hands down gently as Toby reached for his own hair and then started checking the temperature of Toby’s skin.

“We’ll l-look out for you. You’ll b-be okay.” Hoody promised. They both flinched when a door slammed somewhere in the house. Hoody looked up to see that Masky was gone, he had probably been the one to slam the door. Hoody scowled but stopped quickly when Toby whimpered. Masky could be so childish sometimes and he never wanted to share Hoody’s attention. Well he would have to now because Toby needed looking after. “I’ll l-look out for you.” Hoody corrected since obviously Masky wouldn’t be for a while.


	26. Chapter 26

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Requested by: Anonymous: BIG BROTHER HOODIE AHHHHHH You should do another chapter like this oh my gods
> 
> and
> 
> Tea_and_butterflies_13: Can you do a Masky/Hoodie with baby brother Toby? Possibly literal baby Toby?

"Hoody!" A voice yelled and Hoody turned towards it instinctively just in time to spot a child barreling towards him. He crouched down and scooped up the child as he ran into Hoody's arms. Masky and Hoody both stared at the child trying to understand what had just happened. Hoody realized it first and gasped, Masky looked at him for a explanation.

"Toby?" Hoody said.

"I'm so sorry!" A girl yelped skidding to a halt in front of them. Hoody recognized her as one of Nico's Demigod friends. "I was trying a new spell and he got in the way!"

"You turned Toby into a child?" Masky snarled stepping a little closer to her and she held up her hands defensively.

"It was a accident! And I don't think it's permanent most of my transformation spells fade in about twenty four hours. I'm no Cerseas." The girl argued.

"Change him back now!" Masky yelled. Hoody walked away from the argument, carrying Toby who was shaking ever so slightly. Hoody knew yelling alarmed Toby even as a seventeen-year-old. As… what seemed like a four year old of course yelling would terrify him. Masky stayed behind to fight with the girl, if a solution was found he would come find them.

"Wanna go home." Toby sniffled, nuzzling into Hoody's shoulder and clinging to him with small hands.

"Which home?" Hoody murmured softly.

"I want my mom." Toby whimpered and sniffled like he was about to cry.

"Hey, don't cry I'll look after you." Hoody promised, he was less nervous with children than adults so he didn't stutter. "You obviously remember me?" Toby nodded. "I looked after you when you first came to us, I can look after you now." Hoody promised bouncing Toby a little, like he did to make Sally laugh. Toby smiled uncertainly.

"The spell should fade." Masky growled stomping up to them, obviously frustrated. "If he's still this age this time tomorrow we'll need to come back, but she says it should be quicker to wait it out than for her to find a counter spell."

"Masky." Toby stated lifting his head of Hoody's shoulder and looking at Masky intently.

"Ya, hey." Masky said awkwardly, gently patting Toby's shoulder then looked past him to Hoody. "We should get back to Slender's territory. Not necessarily the mansion while Toby can't defend himself so well, but his forest. There are monsters around here that would snap him up even if he's a human." Toby looked alarmed and glanced back to Hoody who was nodding.

"One of our hidden homes?" He asked. They had a few small buildings. Abandoned ones they had found or small shelters they had built around the edges of Slender's woods they kept hidden as best they could and stayed at when they were closer to jobs or when Masky and Hoody wanted some time to be alone and quiet. A year ago Masky would have been furious with Hoody for even suggesting they take Toby to one of those places, but now he nodded.

"That's probably safest for him." Masky agreed. Toby was mostly staying quiet, watching the two of them as they spoke with wide eyes. He felt so small and light in Hoody's arms. "What will we tell Nico?" Masky asked as they started walking, automatically calling Slenderman's woods to them. Since it didn't have a fixed location they could walk through almost any woods and end up in Slenderman's if they wanted to.

"Uh oh." Toby whispered then squirmed in Hoody's arms to be let down.

"We'll cross that bridge if we reach it." Hoody decided letting Toby down only after he felt the shift in atmosphere that meant they were safe back in their master's forest. "After all Nico will be away for the next two days helping his father, Toby should be back to normal by then."

Toby ran around in a couple circles then came back to try and hold Masky's hand. Masky allowed it awkwardly when Hoody smiled encouragingly at him. They walked together, Hoody leading the way because he had a finer eye for detail than Masky and therefore could recognize more subtle landmarks. Really even though these places were meant to be he and Masky's secret, Masky couldn't find them without Hoody's help.

They found the cottage they were looking for, finally. It's roof was sagging, and the walls so coated with moss they were almost indistinguishable from the trees, but it was standing. Hoody slipped in first to make sure everything was still how they had left it. They had redone the floor of this one to make sure they wouldn't fall through. It was one of the coziest of their hiding spots. Everything was how they had left it last so he signaled to Masky and he brought Toby, who immediately set about exploring every inch of the small cottage and trying to climb up into the rafters.

"We're going to try and keep him here until the spell fades?" Masky asked Hoody softly and Hoody nodded. "Then I'll head back to the mansion and pick up some supplies. You'll be alright with him? You're better with kids anyway."

"Good idea, I'll be fine." Hoody promised, walking over to pluck Toby off the wall he was trying to climb before he could fall. "Don't climb that." Hoody scolded as Masky slipped out, he would be able to find his way back to Hoody and Toby, as proxies they had a link.

"Why?" Toby asked.

"It's not meant for climbing, you could fall and hurt yourself." Hoody answered putting Toby back down on the floor.

"What's hurt?" Toby asked and Hoody couldn't tell if it was to be obnoxious or a serious question.

"Something that would upset me if it happened to you." Hoody said placidly, choosing the easy answer.

"Oh, okay." Toby said, easily accepting that answer. "Can I climb one of the trees outside then?"

"If you don't go to high and promise to come down when I ask you to." Hoody agreed.

"Okay." Toby said quickly and bounded back outside. Hoody followed and stood under the tree steadfastly watching as Toby climbed.

"That's high enough." Hoody called when he thought Toby was high enough he would probably break something if he fell.

"But I want to see over the other trees!" Toby called down.

"You can't get that high." Hoody explained. "The trees are pretty much all the same height, you can't climb high enough on any one to see above the others."

"Aww." Toby whined but he didn't go any higher as he clambered around and down and back up a few more times. Hoody's head snapped up when he heard a cracking. "Uh oh." Toby sounded softly and then the branch he was standing on broke. Hoody's instincts kicked in and he leapt over under the branch just in time to catch Toby breaking his fall. Toby wrapped his thin arms around Hoody and clung to him for dear life.

The fall had obviously spooked him and he didn't want Hoody to put him down. It had spooked Hoody too if he was honest. He was happy to hold Toby. Toby had held his breath when he fell, now Hoody could feel him slowly starting to breath again.

"Told you I'd look after you." Hoody said softly and Toby giggled nervously. "We should go back inside." Toby nodded. Twenty minutes later Masky came back with food for dinner tonight, and breakfast and lunch for tomorrow in a basket. He and Hoody already had sleeping bags and a couple lamps stashed here, so he had only had to bring a sleeping bag for Toby. He had nabbed a couple of Sally's board games too so they would have something to do besides let Toby fall out of trees for the evening.

Luckily it had been a long and eventful day for Toby and he started yawning not long after dinner. Hoody chuckled. Most of the time Toby could not get tired without Nico's help, but it looked like as a child he had tired easier.

"I think you need to go to bed." Hoody pointed out stroking Toby's hair.

"No thanks." Toby said rubbing his eyes to try and wake himself up. Hoody chuckled.

"Well I do." Hoody said softly. "Why don't you lay down with me?"

"Okay if it'll help you." Toby allowed, snuggling willingly into a sleeping bag, watched over by Masky sitting nearby. Once laying down it didn't take Toby long to drop off to sleep.

"You make a good big brother." Masky told Hoody softly and Hoody smiled.

"Do you think I ever really was one?" Hoody asked. Masky shrugged, they didn't know if Brian had had siblings or if Hoody was just a natural. They let Toby sleep and talked softly until Hoody and Masky became tired as well. They went to sleep earlier than normal for themselves but that was for the best. They both knew that Toby would wake them up at dawn the next day and they were not wrong.


	27. More Time With You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This E.J. x Ben fic is a birthday gift to me darling xxghostqueensagexx on tumblr. another good birthday gift would be if all of you would go follow her. She has a great blog and she's just a super cute, great person also she as a AO3, XxGh0stCatxX where she has written me some lovely gifts from within this world as well which you should read.

“ _Jeff I swear to god if you do what you’re thinking of doing I will electrocute you._ ” Ben snapped as Jeff slunk into E.J.’s operating room conspicuously trying to look inconspicuous. Jeff couldn’t hear Ben though because he had taken off his damn headset. Ben cursed, he didn’t want to use the house PA system because he and Jeff were half friends most of the time, and using the PA system where everyone could hear would definitely be tattling. Ben could electrocute Jeff but it would be without warning so Ben slid out of one of the speakers instead and fell to the ground.

“Jeff don’t you dare.” Ben said as Jeff reached for one of the tools on E.J. operating table. “E.J. organizes everything for a reason, don’t mess it up.” Jeff started guiltily and then glared at Ben.

“Don’t tell me what to do.” Jeff said petulantly kicking the leg of the table. Ben suspected that Jeff expected it to be bolted down, but of course it wasn’t. They both flinched when the table fell over with a crash, sending the tools scattering across the floor. Trying to salvage his dignity Jeff shoved his hands in his pockets and stalked out of the room. He shouldered Ben as he passed and Ben sent a electrical current through Jeff, making him yelp and hurry out.

Ben glared after Jeff and then looked back at the tipped table. He walked over and crouched down looking at some of the tools. He didn’t even know what half these things were. There were syringes too and bottles they were probably matched with, but Ben didn’t know what any of them were. He couldn’t fix this even if he wanted to. He would need to get E.J. because he didn’t even know if some of these tools needed to be sanitized now that they had touched the floor.

Ben got up and walked around in a tight circle uncertainly. He wasn’t used to not knowing things. He had the entirety of the internet at his disposal, usually anything he didn’t know he could find out but it was useless when it came to stuff like this. It couldn’t tell him how E.J. organized things. He should have memorized it himself once he found out that E.J. was scared of not being able to find things.

“Hey E.J. do you have your communicator on?” Ben asked finally directing the question into the electronic system he was still connected to.

“Yes.” E.J. answered right away. “I’m in the kitchen.”

“Jeff tipped over a table in your hospital room. I just don’t know where everything goes. I’m sorry I told him not to. I should have fought him.” Ben said hanging his head even though E.J. couldn’t see him. E.J. sighed into the mic, which made a static noise.

“Okay I’ll be right there.” E.J. promised. Ben didn’t answer, instead he righted the table and started looking around for any tools that might have skittered off into corners. Since it wasn’t in use right now Ben started to pick up the tools and put them on the bed thing that the patient would lay on, maybe that was the actual operating table? Ben wasn’t sure about the terminology, he had never cared enough to learn.

“Hey.” Ben greeted when E.J. came in. “I’ve just been putting all the tools up here because I don’t know what half of them are.”

“Thank you for doing that Ben.” E.J. said smiling at him fondly.

“Don’t, I didn’t stop Jeff from doing it in the first place.” Ben said scowling and ducking his head. E.J. crossed the room and rested his hands on Ben’s shoulders smiling reassuringly at him.

“It’s alright Jeff is your friend. You could have just left like he did but you stayed to help me put things back, even though you didn’t mess them up. That means more to me.”

“Okay.” Ben said smiling a little. He would have just nodded but there was no guarantee E.J. would see the motion. His vision got better and worse depending on how bad the infection in them was at the time. Ben hoped it was doing alright now, it would make reorganizing things easier.

It seemed to be a fairly good day because E.J. immediately started picking up tools and putting them back in particular places on the ‘tool table’ whatever it was technically called. Ben went back to looking for tools. He found two under a cupboard. Ben took them back and saw that E.J. had set a couple of tools aside.

“Do those ones need disinfecting?” Ben asked curiously.

“Yes they do.” E.J. said reaching for another tool. Ben realized to late that E.J. was reaching for the wrong end of a scalpel.

“Don’t!” Ben said and E.J. retracted his hand in confusion turning his face towards Ben questioningly. “You were about to grab a blade of a scalpel, I have a feeling that with how sharp those things are it would have taken off your fingers.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time.” E.J. laughed. “I’ve reattached them a couple of times.” Ben blinked just a little startled. Okay so it was important not only that things where were but that they were there the right way up. More hesitantly E.J. reached for the other end of the scalpel.

“You’re good.” Ben told him and E.J. picked up the scalpel, placing it on the table, he touched the tool next to it and then pushed the scalpel over a couple of centimeters. Ben went back to the table. “I’m just going to put all the sharp things up here with the handles facing towards you.” Ben said picking up another slightly longer, thinner knife than the one that E.J. had already placed.

“Good idea.” E.J. said smiling gratefully. E.J. could still feel pain, unsurprisingly he didn’t want to cut himself.

“What are all these things for?” Ben asked curiously.

“Couldn’t you google it?” E.J. teased affectionately and Ben blushed a little.

“Well yes but I’d rather hear it from you.” Ben said and E.J. nodded and started briefly explaining every tool as he picked them up while Ben listened in fascination. He also paid more attention to where E.J. placed each one, taking a picture of the table in his mind so that if it was ever messed up again, Ben could do this on his own. Though he wasn’t sure he would want to, it was a good excuse to spend time with E.J..

It took them over an hour to finish reorganizing the table. Finally E.J. put the last tool down and then went through and touched the handle of every tool adjusting a few of them slightly.

“Thank you for your help Ben.” E.J. said smiling at him and Ben smiled back. He didn’t want to leave though so they stood in silence for a moment, E.J. didn’t seem to feel awkward but Ben did.

“So did you know they make video games for people who have problems with their vision?” Ben asked rocking back on his heals and clasping his hands behind his back. Why did he act like this around E.J.? He never acted this awkward and oddly childish around anyone else?

“Oh? No I did not know that.” E.J. said sounding mildly intrigued.

“If I found some of them, would you play them with me?” Ben asked hopefully but he sort of expected E.J. to say no. He was so responsible and busy most of the time that Ben didn’t expect him to have time to play video games.

“Sure.” E.J. said and Ben looked up at him in surprise.

“Really? Great!” Ben said. “I’ll go find some of them. I mean you don’t have to now, or whatever, I know you're busy and everything.” E.J. chuckled and rested his hands on Ben’s shoulders again. Ben shut up and looked up at E.J. wondering if he could change his physical form to be taller, he suddenly felt weird about looking so young, and being more then a foot shorter then E.J..

“Unless someone’s dying I’ll make time.” E.J. promised softly. “I like spending time with you.”

“Oh Okay.” Ben said blushing again. For once he was very glad E.J.’s vision wasn’t so good because he probably couldn’t tell. Ben hugged E.J. and E.J. hugged back.

“I’ll try and find a good one.” Ben promised and then let go hurrying out of the room before he could feel anymore awkward about it. It was weird because they lived together but still Ben was excited to spend more quality time with E.J. Maybe they could go out some time. It was hard to get time alone in the house and Ben wanted to be alone with E.J. which confused him a little bit but he liked it.

**Author's Note:**

> Not all of these will necessarily be safe for work, I will mark the ones that are NSFW in the chapter titles and I'll change the rating when one of those happens.
> 
> I take requests so please let me know anything you'd like to see. It doesn't have to be about Nico or Toby either, let me know the characters you want to see and I'll do my best to get it done. Bonus points if those other characters are Masky and Hoody but I'll probably end up writing some stuff about them even without prompts. :P


End file.
